The Rainy River

Analisys On The Rainy River

Tim O’brien shares with us a sensitive story that he has not dared share with anyone one else, including his parents. Tim O’Brien calls himself a coward because of the decision he made after he was confronted with a predicament. Many different factors came into play through his struggles which at any point could have changed his final decision. The reason he struggles so much is because his two options are to choose his own beliefs and be seen as a coward not only by his   community but by his family as well or overlook all he has fought for and believed, to do what his family and town expect him to do and go to war. Tim had the opportunity to choose his own path and do what he felt was right. In this story we can see clearly see how outside people can sometimes influence the outcome of the decisions that we must make.
Tim got a draft notice a month after having graduated from Macalaster College. Tim believed himself as a liberal and thought that he was too good to go to war. Since he didn’t support it he felt that he should not be forced to go to war. Tim describes his thoughts as he is reading the notice and immediately gets rushed millions of thoughts all at once. He was shocked to the fact that he had received the notice. that at one point he though it could have been a mistake and goes on to say “ A mistake maybe—a foul up in the paper work”(O’Brien 41). But he knew that that wasn’t the case. Tim worked in a meat packing plant, with the title he believed to be “declotter.” He recalls the unbearable stench of pig that followed him everywhere he went. No matter what he did he was unable to get rid of the smell. Shortly after, he started having thoughts about fleeing to Canada. As he pondered what to do Tim saw images of what his future would hold if he did decide to run away to Canada. His conscience tells him to run away but he knows that such an action will only bring shame to him and that is something he can’t live with. With...