Tim O Brien's On The Rainy River

Interpretations

Tim O’Brien’s, “On the Rainy River,” is a short story that packs in quite a bit of violent, overwhelming imagery of one man’s hardship. He takes the impossibility of his choice and tells a coning tail of his journey of being drafted into the army in the year 1968. Through the use of heartbreaking, entrenching, morbid illustrations O’Brien tells the reader of his choice to flee the United States of America when he received the draft letter

O’Brian’s use of morbid imagery about his receiving the draft letter, “a cracking-leaking-popping feeling,” is so desperately painful revealing the impossible decision that the twenty-one year old had to face. By illuminating such troubled, forlorn images, “feeling the blood go thick behind my eyes,” it is understood the kind of pain and terror he felt when he got …show more content…
Elroy it so painfully possible for Tim to escape if he so desired, “at some point we must’ve passed into Canadian waters...Elroy cut the engine...twenty yards off the shore. It struck me then that he must’ve planned it,” he made it unbearably clear to Tim that he was there to offer a helping, if that meant Tim needed his support, than he got it,if he didn’t than he got the support for that as well, with no cost at all. “I think he meant to bring me up against the realities, to guide me across the river and to take me to the edge and to stand kind of vigil as I chose a life for myself,” at this appreciation was greatly illustrated, Elroy was there so there wouldn't have been no sense of loneliness or despair coming from Tim. In many more ways than one Elroy was the guardian angel comforting, assisting, nourishing and advising O’Brien even in his

Show More

Related Documents: Tim O Brien's On The Rainy River

The Rainy River In Tim O Brien's The Things They Carried