Truth vs Fiction
1) The difference between story truth and happening truth is that story truth is like a different story version that is usually exaggerated or toyed with to give the reader emotion and make him or her feel connected to the events which they were not there to experience. O'Brien basically tells you outright what Story Truth is. He tells us that story truth is what, “He wants you to feel what he felt" (O'Brien 179) However Happening truth are just the facts, just the black and white. Exact to the point, no suspense, no inner story, just this is what happened, the end. The use of verisimilitude is important because it gives the reader a sense of realism of what actually happened, the experience, and all the chaos they went through as a team and by himself.
2) He treats the war as pointless and chaotic because he did not believe in going to war that he hated and there was always death and injury everywhere. For him the war seemed to be shedding certain blood for uncertain reasons. “It was my view then, and still is, that you don't make war without knowing why”, (O’brien 38). O’brien portrays the psychological effects of war by telling of others experiences. Such as Rat Kiley when he finally couldn't take it being out in the war field so he shot himself in foot so he could be taken out, or jorgensen when he froze with fear and panic when they were ambushed. As for the physiological effects besides the injuries they all suffered it was mainly the psychological effects that had more of a lasting outcome.
3)The use of symbolism for Mary Anne Bell. She was like an embodiment of American arrogance. She was curious and wanted to know all, thinking nothing could touch her like any other soldiers who went to Vietnam hoping it would be over quick. However she was touched, she was sucked up by it. She joined the other side. O’brien uses of imagery when he killed the vietnamese soldier "His jaw was in his throat. His one eye was shut, the other eye was a...