Premium Essay

Rainy River Symbolism

Submitted By
Words 479
Pages 2
In "The Things They Carried", the men carried many physical things but weighing even heavier were the experiences the men were forced were to go through. Tim O'Brien, the author, used many different items and situations in his book to symbolize how the war effected him and the soldiers he fought along side of. In chapter four, On the Rainy River, Tim O'Brien tells us how he runs to a little place outside of Canada and meets an old man who discreetly helps O'Brien make his decision to or not to dodge the draft. This story symbolizes that he is being forced to fight a war he does not believe in. O'Brien says "I was drafted to fight a war I hated," (O'Brien, 39). He tells us that he doesn't believe in the war but yet, he was forced to fight and be apart of it. O'Brien feared being ridiculed if he dodged the war but he also didn't want to be critiqued as a …show more content…
Tim O'Brien's best friend, Kiowa, drowned in the field when the Song Tra Bong River flooded. It symbolizes the war as a whole because the whole war is "shitty." O'Brien felt that the war was pointless. America had no business being there. Too many of our men died for another country. None of the men actually waned to be there. "Wasted in the waste," he said. "A shit field. You got to admit, it's pure, world-class irony," (O'Brien, 158) says one of the men O'Brien is at war with. This symbolizes that everything these men had to go through was very "shitty" and unpleasant, just like a sewage field. One more example of symbolism in the book is actually a person rather than an item or situation. Her name is Linda. Linda was Tim O'Brien's girlfriend when he was nine years old. She died of a brain tumor that turned into cancer. Tim O'Brien tells us that he "loved her and then she died," (O'Brien, 232). This symbolizes the death that will, later on in life, be surrounded by. It prepared him for the deaths that come with the

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

Dfasfdf

...Ha Dao Writing from Within Mr. Reynolds Summer reading in class essay 1) O’Brien tells numerous stories from his past with the common factor of war or loss of loved ones. In the beginning of the story, O’Brien explains all the physical objects that the men carried during the war. He then moves on to several war stories, describing his experiences in Vietnam. These chapters present other intangible things that these soldiers also carried- such as Lieutenant Jimmy Cross’s loneliness. In these first few chapters he also depicts the setting in Vietnam. In the fourth chapter, “On the Rainy River,” O’Brien gives readers a glimpse into his life before the war, and tells of his almost escape to Canada after being drafted. O’Brien then moves back into war stories telling of the man he killed to Henry Dobbins carrying pantyhose around his neck. These semi-true stories further illustrate the extra emotional baggage these soldiers carried. In the chapter “Speaking of Courage,” O’Brien tells a fictional story of Norman Bowker trying to communicate his post-war feelings, and in the next tribute explains his tribute to Norman Bowker (who committed suicide.) O’Brien then tells of his post war life and of his trip back to Vietnam with his own daughter. When O’Brien is finished with war anecdotes, he tells one final story of how when he was nine, the love of his life, Linda, passed away. This final story brings the book to end with O’Brien...

Words: 516 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Things They Carried Rhetorical Analysis

...Tim O’Brien uses rhetorical devices throughout The Things They Carried to bring together a correlation between fear of failure, shame of not owning up to their full potential and courageous actions. Tim O’Brien uses constant repetition, precise syntax and symbolism throughout the chapter “On the Rainy River” in The Things They Carried to show the interconnection between fear, shame, and courage. Fear of shame motivates the soldiers to show acts of courage. O’Brien rhetorically uses the repetition of questions and the to show the feeling of being ashamed to not fight in the war therefore, showing courageous actions. “ Was it a civil war? A war of national liberation or simple aggression? Who started it, and when, and why?”(38) Tim O’Brien...

Words: 973 - Pages: 4

Free Essay

Araby

...murmuring: "O love! O love!" many times." (92) Most human beings have experienced their first love or crush in many profound ways. In James Joyce's Araby, a young preteen boy in the dreary neighborhood of Dublin in the late nineteenth century narrates his ongoing infatuation for his best friend's sister and the mystique of Araby; the exotic bazaar. With the boy's great expectations and a quest for love comes the revelation of disenchantment and a loss of innocence. The many symbols of Araby paint a rich picture of meaning. "North Richmond Street being blind", is a real street that is a dead end which symbolizes the boys hopelessness as to be going no where.(91) Being blind also foreshadows being blinded by the light. The light vs. dark symbolism is prevalent throughout the boy's quest. “The street light from the kitchen windows had filled the areas”.(91) The dark, blind street also represents as a symbol for Ireland. So here the light becomes a symbol for the country’s future. The boys neighborhood is dark and "brown" drawing attention to the plainness and dreariness of Dublin. (91)He also uses brown to describe the figure of his crush. The "bicycle pump", rusting in the backyard is the decay of Roman Catholicism.(91) The dead priest's home lingers a restraint on the boy. The priest is a symbol of Roman Catholicism in Ireland, and the description of the room where he died reveals, "Air, musty from having been long enclosed, hung in all the rooms, and the waste room behind the kitchen was...

Words: 1153 - Pages: 5

Free Essay

Paper

...“The Hill”, where many Hobbit holes are. Symbols used in this chapter were; the maps that the dwarves/Gandalf have symbolize direction of their journey. Also, some of the songs that the dwarves sing symbolize hints and feelings. A developing theme I see is “anyone can be a hero,” because I think Bilbo will end up going. Chapter 2: In the second chapter, the journey begins! Bilbo wakes up and assumes that Gandalf and the dwarves have left without him since none of them are present. Shortly after, Gandalf comes in and shows Bilbo a note that says he needed to meet the dwarves at 11 to begin. Bilbo meets up with the dwarves and they begin, they sing songs, chat and Bilbo thinks adventures maybe aren’t so bad. Later on, it starts getting rainy and everyone’s mood turns glum. The dwarves and Bilbo start looking for shelter and a dry place, after they realize that Gandalf has left! The dwarves spot a light and nominate Bilbo to figure...

Words: 3290 - Pages: 14

Free Essay

Indigenous People of the Caribbean

...The Indigenous Heritage Of The Caribbean And Its Contribution To A Caribbean Identity Text from the Untold Origins Exhibition held at the Cuming Museum, October 2004 to February 2005. The Cuming Museum 155-157 Walworth Road London SE17 1RS 020 7525 2163 cuming.museum@southwark.gov.uk www.southwark.gov.uk/DiscoverSouthwark/Museums ‘Mabrika Mabrika- welcomeIt has been very important to be able to look at the objects in the Cuming Museum. It makes me realise how much we can regain from what we have lost of our culture by studying these objects.’ The Honourable Charles Williams, Carib Chief of the Carib Territory, Commonwealth of Dominica, on a visit to the Cuming Museum, October 6 2004. He is holding a ceremonial baton or club, used by chiefs as a badge of office on ceremonial occasions. From the Schomburgk collection. Introduction The Caribbean has always seen people on the move - from the settlement of people from the South American mainland thousands of years ago, the forced settlement of enslaved people from Africa, to the 'Island hopping' and immigration abroad in search of work in the 20th century. Within the Untold Origins exhibition we explored what happens when people and cultures move and come into contact with each other. What do people preserve from their original culture to maintain their sense of identity? How does contact with a new culture change how they view themselves? The histories and stories of the people who populated the Caribbean prior to...

Words: 4910 - Pages: 20

Free Essay

Dewfwrfweg

...DO NOT WRITE ON THIS PACKET!Write your name, period number, and the correct answer for each question on your answer sheet. Take your time and choose your answers carefully! | | | Tone, Style, and Mood | 1.  |      The footsteps were coming closer. I knew I had to get out of there fast. Looking desperately around, I finally spotted a small window at the end of the room, a beacon of light in the dark, rancid basement. I sprinted and leapt up to grab a ceiling pipe. Thankfully, the pipe was close enough to the window to allow me to swing my body through. My enemy was making his way down the hall, bursting open door after door. I needed to break through this window in two tries to make it out in time. What is the mood of the passage? | | | | A. | timid | | B. | cheerful | | C. | sorrowful | | D. | daring | Write your response here: |      I was having a crazy dream. For some reason, my face was covered in sticky honey, and a bear was charging toward me! It pounced on me and started licking my face! Yuck. I quickly jerked awake to escape, but for some reason the licking didn't stop! I also realized that something small was running back and forth across my chest. I opened my eyes, and there staring back at me was a puppy!      "Awesome!" I yelled. I've wanted a puppy for so long, and here was this adorable brown creature looking up at me. I suddenly realized that today was my birthday! I looked at the doorway and saw my mother smirking...

Words: 3206 - Pages: 13

Free Essay

Larkin and Plath

...Alita Fonseca Balbi “The Less Deceived”: Subjectivity, Gender, Sex and Love in Sylvia Plath's and Philip Larkin's Poetry Belo Horizonte Faculdade de Letras Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais 2012 i “The Less Deceived”: Subjectivity, Gender, Sex and Love in Sylvia Plath's and Philip Larkin's Poetry by Alita Fonseca Balbi Submitted to the Programa de Pós-graduação em Letras: Estudos Literários in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Mestre em Literaturas de Expressão Inglesa. Thesis Advisor: Sandra Regina Goulart Almeida, PhD Belo Horizonte Faculdade de Letras Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais 2012 ii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS To my father, Tadeu, for always reminding me of the importance of having dreams and being true to them; for motivating me to be creative and to believe in my potential; and for teaching me to seek beauty and happiness in everything I see and do. To my mother, Socorro, for always making sure I enjoy all the possibilities that cross my path, and for reminding me that hard work is the only means to achieve my goals. To my brothers, Bruno and Diego, for being my best friends. To my sister-in-law, Sabrina, for embracing me as family and making me feel at home even when I’m not. To Paulo, for his company, for his love and care, and for all his witty remarks. To the professors of Letras, Julio Jeha, José dos Santos, Eliana Lourenço and Gláucia Renates, for being extraordinary professors, and for all the knowledge each...

Words: 44492 - Pages: 178

Free Essay

Mdagascar

...Madagascar, officially the Republic of Madagascar (Malagasy: Repoblikan'i Madagasikara [republiˈkʲan madaɡasˈkʲarə̥]; French: République de Madagascar) and previously known as the Malagasy Republic, is an island country in the Indian Ocean, off the southeastern coast of Africa. The nation comprises the island of Madagascar (the fourth-largest island in the world), as well as numerous smaller peripheral islands. Following the prehistoric breakup of the supercontinent Gondwana, Madagascar split from India around 88 million years ago, allowing native plants and animals to evolve in relative isolation. Consequently, Madagascar is a biodiversity hotspot; over 90 percent of its wildlife is found nowhere else on Earth. The island's diverse ecosystems and unique wildlife are threatened by the encroachment of the rapidly growing human population. Initial human settlement of Madagascar occurred between 350 BCE and 550 CE by Austronesian peoples arriving on outrigger canoes from Borneo. These were joined around 1000 CE by Bantu migrants crossing the Mozambique Channel. Other groups continued to settle on Madagascar over time, each one making lasting contributions to Malagasy cultural life. The Malagasy ethnic group is often divided into eighteen or more sub-groups of which the largest are the Merina of the central highlands. Until the late 18th century, the island of Madagascar was ruled by a fragmented assortment of shifting socio-political alliances. Beginning in the early 19th century...

Words: 11246 - Pages: 45

Free Essay

“an Investigation Into the Sacrificial Blood Rituals of the Maya Culture.”

...Extended Essay In World Religions [pic] “An Investigation into the Sacrificial Blood Rituals of the Maya Culture.” Abstract This essay focuses on the religious beliefs and practices of the ancient Mayan civilization that spanned from the borders of present day Honduras up to Mexico, but which only a certain amount is truly known. The principal reason why I chose to focus on these people was to challenge myself to try and gain a greater understanding of why they engaged in such strange rituals as bloodletting and even human sacrifice? What prompted them to commit such acts? I proposed that the performance of these actions, as they seemed to be so entwined with their culture, must have had something to do with their religious beliefs but which ones exactly, and how did they originate? It was with this in mind that I conducted an investigation into the sacrificial blood rituals of Maya culture. Thus, from conducting library based research - using books, Encyclopedias and the Internet - I found out that the Mayans had created for themselves a complex Creation Myth and pantheon of gods. It was to supposedly sustain these gods, who were constantly fighting against one another, that the Mayan conducted bloodletting and human sacrifices, believing that in return the gods would provide them the water needed to grow their maize. The gods, replenished by this blood, were able to maintain the harmony of the universe by preventing any one group of...

Words: 8185 - Pages: 33

Premium Essay

A Good E-Book on Various Religions Across the World

...THE HANDY RELIGION AN SWE R BOOK JOHN RENARD Detroit The Handy Religion Answer Book™ C O P Y R I G H T © 2002 BY VI S I B LE I N K PRE SS® This publication is a creative work fully protected by all applicable copyright laws, as well as by misappropriation, trade secret, unfair competition, and other applicable laws. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer who wishes to quote brief passages in connection with a review written for inclusion in a magazine or newspaper. All rights to this publication will be vigorously defended. Visible Ink Press® 43311 Joy Rd. #414 Canton, MI 48187-2075 Visible Ink Press and The Handy Religion Answer Book are trademarks of Visible Ink Press LLC. Most Visible Ink Press books are available at special quantity discounts when purchased in bulk by corporations, organizations, or groups. Customized printings, special imprints, messages, and excerpts can be produced to meet your needs. For more information, contact Special Markets Director, Visible Ink Press, at www.visibleink.com or (734) 667-3211. Art Director: Mary Claire Krzewinski Typesetting: Graphix Group Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Renard, John, 1944The handy religion answer book / John Renard. p. cm. ISBN 1-57859-125-2 (pbk.) 1. Religions--Miscellanea. I. Title. BL80.2 .R46 2001 291--dc21 Printed in the United States of America All rights reserved ...

Words: 245202 - Pages: 981

Free Essay

A Passage to India

...A Passage to India E. M. Forster Online Information For the online version of BookRags' A Passage to India Premium Study Guide, including complete copyright information, please visit: http://www.bookrags.com/studyguide−passageindia/ Copyright Information ©2000−2007 BookRags, Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. The following sections of this BookRags Premium Study Guide is offprint from Gale's For Students Series: Presenting Analysis, Context, and Criticism on Commonly Studied Works: Introduction, Author Biography, Plot Summary, Characters, Themes, Style, Historical Context, Critical Overview, Criticism and Critical Essays, Media Adaptations, Topics for Further Study, Compare &Contrast, What Do I Read Next?, For Further Study, and Sources. ©1998−2002; ©2002 by Gale. Gale is an imprint of The Gale Group, Inc., a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Gale and Design® and Thomson Learning are trademarks used herein under license. The following sections, if they exist, are offprint from Beacham's Encyclopedia of Popular Fiction: "Social Concerns", "Thematic Overview", "Techniques", "Literary Precedents", "Key Questions", "Related Titles", "Adaptations", "Related Web Sites". © 1994−2005, by Walton Beacham. The following sections, if they exist, are offprint from Beacham's Guide to Literature for Young Adults: "About the Author", "Overview", "Setting", "Literary Qualities", "Social Sensitivity", "Topics for Discussion", "Ideas for Reports and Papers". © 1994−2005, by Walton Beacham. All other...

Words: 37224 - Pages: 149

Free Essay

Juriprudence

...Edited by Kristen Walker Painemilla, Anthony B. Rylands, Alisa Woofter and Cassie Hughes Edited by Kristen Walker Painemilla, Anthony B. Rylands, Alisa Woofter and Cassie Hughes Conservation International 2011 Crystal Drive, Suite 500 Arlington, VA 22202 USA Tel: +1 703-341-2400 www.conservation.org Editors : Kristen Walker Painemilla, Anthony B. Rylands, Alisa Woofter and Cassie Hughes Cover design  Paula K. Rylands, Conservation International : Layout: Kim Meek, Washington, DC Maps [except where noted otherwise]  Kellee Koenig, Conservation International : Conservation International is a private, non-profit organization exempt from federal income tax under section 501 c (3) of the Internal Revenue Code. ISBN 978-1-934151-39-6 © 2010 by Conservation International All rights reserved. The designations of geographical entities in this publication, and the presentation of the material, do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of Conservation International or its supporting organizations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, or area, or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. Any opinions expressed in this publication are those of the writers, and do not necessarily reflect those of Conservation International (CI). Suggested citation: Walker Painemilla, K., Rylands, A. B., Woofter, A. and Hughes, C. (eds.). 2010. Indigenous Peoples and Conservation: From  Rights to Resource Management. Conservation...

Words: 170022 - Pages: 681

Free Essay

State of the World

...Barbados Barbados is a North American sovereign island country located in the Caribbean. The capital of this state is Bridgetown. This state raised its head as an independent state in 1966 after being a Colony of the British Empire for almost 350 years. Category | Fact | Category | Fact | 1.Size | 439 Square km | 4.Religion | Christianity | 2.Population | 277,821 | 5.Currency | Barbadian Dollar | 3.Language | Barbadian | 6.GDP Rate | $16,653 | The main resources of Barbados are Petroleum, Fish, Natural gas, Sugarcane etc. The national symbols of Barbados are Neptune's trident, pelican, and Red Bird of Paradise flower (also known as Pride of Barbados). In Barbados Queen Elizabeth II is the Head of the State and represented locally by Governor General which is at present Elliott Belgrave. These two heads are advised by the Prime Minister of Barbados who is also the Head of the Government on matters of Barbadian state. The current Prime Minister of Barbados is Freundel Stuart. ...

Words: 64439 - Pages: 258

Premium Essay

Dreams

...East Third Avenue, Bayshore, NY 11706, USA. Tel: (516)665-9462 First published 1997 This new edition 2001 For my beloved daughter Hira May Allah bless her with good dreams Ameen! CONTENTS Preface Introduction Dreams in Pagan Arabia Dreams in Christian Arabia Dreams in the Qur’an: 1st. Dream: Dream of Joseph in which sun, moon, and eleven stars bow to him 2nd. Dream: Dream to King’s Butler in prison in which he pours wine for King 3rd. Dream: Dream to King’s Baker in prison of birds picking from basket of bread on his 4th. Dream: Dream to Egyptian King of seven fat cows etc. 5th. Dream: Dream to Abraham to sacrifice his son, Ishmael 6th. Dream: Wahi (perhaps as a dream) to the mother of Moses to put her baby in a basket in the river Nile 7th. Dream: Dream of Prophet Muhammad the night before the battle of Badr 8th. Dream: Dream of Prophet Muhammad concerning making a pilgrimage to the House of Allah in Makkah Dreams and Prophethood Classification of Dreams in Islam: First kind of Dream: A good true dream - like seeing the Prophet in a dream How to qualify for good and true dreams? How to respond if a believer says he has seen a dream head Second kind of Dream: Evil dreams Third kind of Dream: from the nafs Implication of false claim concerning dreams Dreams which the Prophet saw Dreams of the Companions of the Prophet The Interpretation of Dreams Conclusion Notes PREFACE This book on the subject, ‘Dreams in Islam’, is published in the Ansari Memorial...

Words: 26098 - Pages: 105

Premium Essay

Buddhist Temple

...Buddhist Temple Complex Ramu, Cox’s Bazaar Tabassum Ahmed Department of Architecture North South University 1 Buddhist Temple Complex Ramu, Cox’s Bazaar A Design Dissertation submitted to the Department of Architecture in partial fulfilment of the requirement for the degree of Bachelor of Architecture (B. Arch) in the Faculty of North South University, Dhaka. The textual and visual contents of the Design Dissertation are the intellectual output of the student mentioned below unless otherwise mentioned. Information given within this Design Dissertation is true to the best knowledge of the student mentioned below. All possible efforts have been made by the author to acknowledge the secondary sources information. Right to further modification and/or publication of this Design Dissertation in any form belongs to its author. Contents within this Design Dissertation can be reproduced with due acknowledgment for academic purposes only without written consent from the author. Tabassum Ahmed 083163010 Dept. of Architecture North South University Dhaka 2012 2 Dedication To the Buddhist community of Ramu 3 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I am thankful to Allah for giving me patience and strength to cope with the everyday hurdles in this whole journey of architecture. My deepest gratitude extends to my faculty, Dr. Shayer Ghafur for his constant guidance and support throughout this dissertation. I am thankful to Professor Haroon Ur Rashid for helping me to understand this...

Words: 15927 - Pages: 64