Strains on the body and mind.

School lately has been quite taxing. There never seems time to relax anymore and all the teachers are strung out trying to make us pass ap tests. Really teachers we dont care just let us be through with highschool.

#6

"On the Rainy River"

- Tim O'Brien only goes to the war because he doesn't want to embarass himself or bring shame onto his family. He is prepared to dodge the draft, but can't make the plunge because his ego gets in the way.

- O'Brien seems very young in this story, a youthful innocence is exuberated by him. A college graduate with a new opinion of the world and now its about to get turned upside down.

-Tim can't make the important decisions by himself or at least without someone pushing him towards a decision. The old man makes Tim make a decision by bringing him closer to the Canadien border. Tim has be pointed in a direction by someone other than himself.

"The Ghost Soldiers"

-Vietnam settles him down into the person that he should naturally be if he had believed in his own decision making at home. Being in this place made him grow up very quickly.

-O'Brien seems to become numb to all emotions. He isnt scared or proud or anything. He is just plodding through an existence he did not choose.

-Tim O'Brien has become acclimated to the warzone and the death and destruction that human beings cause. He also experiences the bonds of brotherhood with his platoon. War brings friends closer and enemies further apart.

Second semester of my senior year

Im slightly perturbed because my teachers seem to be piling the work on now when it doesnt matter anymore. Our grades dont matter for anything but hope at this point and we have already proved we can do the work so why not lighten up and let us enjoy our final days with no responsibilities.

#7

I have learned that the truth is in the eye of the beholder and depending on your life experiences, personality, economic status, etc... you will have a different view on the truth. I believe based on the authors criteria this story is a true war story, based on other peoples criteria it might not be, but everything is biased towards each individual. I would recommend this novel because it is an easy read and really makes you think and ponder the facts of truth and life.

#5

I agree with O'Brien in this aspect, sometimes the facts just have to be written down. The process is like removing a large weight. The story truth is a solid entity it doesn't change, once a story is written down it is there for good, the happening truth is biased based on who is experiencing it and it is constantly changing. "The Lives of the Dead" tries to express the sickness of the human condition after it experiences the trauma of war and also to express the fact that people are inherently mean and evil. The story of Linda illustrates the fact that death is horrible and unfair and it shows how people turn a hard heart towards death as a way of coping. Linda is the symbol of all that is innocent and good in this world and how people kill or destroy all the positives in the world without meaning too.

#4

My favorite story was "Love" because everyone can relate to it and it gives the story as a whole a softer side. My least favorite story was "Speaking of Courage" because its really depressing to see what the veterans had to deal with and for life to almost be better for them back in Vietnam. I most identify with Jimmy Cross, he is thrown into something he is not prepared for and lacks the love of the woman he most wants in the world. Im about to start a new chapter in my life and its a big step that I'm not sure if I'm ready for. I despised Azar, he was a sick person who dealt with his problems by preying on others pain and killing innocent animals. Everyone copes differently, but his methods were just unacceptable.

#1

In the movie "Braveheart" William Wallace is attempting to wrest Scotland from English rule. Wallace rises as a an unlikely leader among his people and wins several key victories against the English. I thought the movie was a great representation of the struggle the Scots went through. It was a very entertaining movie from a viewing pleasure and historical standpoint. The words based on a true story enhanced the viewing because it showed what these people really endured and how they really fought against oppression.