Truth and Stories as Two Different Ideas?

Wesley, Marilyn. "Truth and Fiction in Tim O'Brien's If I Die in a Combat Zone and The Things They Carried." College Literature 29.2 (2002): 1-18. MLA International Bibliography. EBSCO. Web. 9 Dec. 2010.

Marilyn Wesley addresses the idea that at first glance, truth and stories may seem opposite, but when dealing with “The Things They Carried” they have a strong connection. She explains that unlike other writers, O’Brien uses storytelling which is a mix between fact and fiction to express his experiences. Wesley states that “How to Tell a True War Story,” erases the idea that truth and stories are opposite and “allows storytelling to emerge as the pursuit of provisional comprehension” (7). He also expresses the idea that O’Brien’s stories exploits conflicting codes of violence to get his disparate truths about Vietnam expressed. Wesley believes that the evaluation of war that is expressed by O’Brien through storytelling is “less decisive and more inclusive” (9). Wesley explains that the “proper treatment of this truth” (7) for the soldiers is storytelling. Wesley describes O’Brien’s writing as “Postmodern in execution” due to stories that are “compendium of references to other stories, especially those reflecting contemporary ideological assumptions about war (10).” The story “Sweetheart of the Song Tra Bong” is an example of this concept with its “contemplation of violence… however, does not allow the soldier the illusions of separation from a morally deficient culture or abdication of personal responsibility (10).” O’Brien has engaged in the act of trying to tell a true war story, but he has struggled with the remembrance of the war that comes along with it all.

Wesley makes it possible for the reader to move away from the idea of storytelling and truth as two different phrases and allows the reader to feel the connection between the two easier. After reading this article, the reader may pay less attention to what is actually true and what is actually false, but rather emerge into a deeper sense of the connection between storytelling and truth. I also feel as if Wesley has a political sense to her point of view, which may lead the readers to change their thoughts on O’Brien. The article also exploits O’Brien’s usage of violence to express the events of Vietnam to his readers. This article is important because it lets the reader get a better sense of the connection between truth and stories and how they are closely linked. This article is loaded with examples from The Things They Carried of how O’Brien is using violence to express the events in which he has experienced. The strong connection that the author had placed on violence and storytelling also may help the reader develop a broader view of our question.