Tobias Wolff's Bullet In The Brain

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“Bullet in the Brain” is a short story written by Tobias Wolff. It first appeared in The New Yorker magazine in 1995. It is set in a large bank where the lines seem to never end, the tellers can’t work fast enough and the people are seemingly boring. This setting is very relatable and common which makes it easy for the reader to identify with. Wolff focuses on the theme of life and our last moments in life throughout his short story. Tobias Wolff’s short story, “Bullet in the Brain”, is an intriguing story that readers can identify to and it leaves them questioning the author’s intent for writing the story. The short story opens with the main character Anders madly rushing to the bank before closing time. He is in a very short and angry temper after a frustrating day and having to wait in line at the bank behind two women engaged in “loud and stupid conversation”. They are waiting in line when one of the few tellers clocks out making the wait even longer. Anders is frustrated, becoming even angrier when the woman in front of him makes a sarcastic comment to him about the humanity in …show more content…
Anders is simply just living a normal day for him, when something completely out of the ordinary, like a robbery, occurs. This puts the reader’s life in perspective. At any given time, this could happen and the author wants the readers to realize there is no time to live with regrets or disappointment. Wolff wants his readers to focus on the importance of living a full and purposeful life. He uses slight imagery throughout this piece. It’s not always obvious and blunt like other pieces of literature but it is still there. It can be seen in the everyday actions Anders goes through. The reader can read the story and imagine that they are in the same situation. They can feel the tension throughout the story and imagine being Anders in that
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