Who is the War Hero? Many people have read interesting books, but The Things They Carried goes above and beyond the expectations of wondering what would happen next in the story. This makes Tim O'Brien, the author, captivate the reader. It not only draws in the reader but also introduces them to the brutal realities of the 1960s, particularly during the time of war. O'Brien's depiction of the Vietnam War alternates between the past and the present. O'Brien does this to express his affection and feelings for what took place in the past while also reflecting on what has happened since. The underlying question is, who is the true war hero in The Things They Carried? Aside from being an essential topic for the reader to consider, the book depicts…show more content… What distinguishes the work is its ability to create a balance between fact and fiction. When people think of a war book, they expect it to be about conflict and harsh times, which O'Brien added to the narrative by incorporating his own two senses. A quotation concerning fact and fiction says, “In war, you lose your sense of the definite, hence your sense of truth itself, and there it’s safe to say that in a true war story, nothing is ever absolutely true. (Pg 78)” In this quotation by Tim, a reader can see that toward the end, he muses on how, at times, events can be fiction, but he also discusses fact in the beginning about losing your sense of certainty. He also incorporated his emotions and opinions twenty-two years later, which keeps the reader interested because he is reflecting on the past while writing the book. Tim accomplishes this by demonstrating both the false feelings that occurred during the Vietnam War and the actual but painful emotions that individuals experienced at a critical moment. A quotation supporting the emotions of war states “There were no thoughts about
