29/March/13
Are You Telling a True War Story? War is a product of the times. Out of war people receive stories, some true and false. According to Tim O’Brien, a true war story does not generalize nor indulge in abstraction or analysis (O’Brien 84). In the stories “This Way for the Gas Ladies and Gentlemen” and “Dulce et Decorum est” the authors illustrates nightmarish actions between soldiers in squads and prisoner in concentration camps. The atrocities they illustrate through the use of imagery and choice in words, according to Tim O’Brien, are a true war story and without them the story would be view as fiction. In “Dulce et Decorum est”, Wilfred Owen describes, with “unconsoling truthfulness”, an experience with a soldier …show more content…
A true war story has none of those qualities, “A true war story, if truly told, makes the stomach believe” (O’Brien). The authors’ use of imagery and choice of words makes the stomach believe and therefore is a true war story.
Works Cited
Borowski, Tadeusz. "This Way for Gas Ladies Gentlemen." Google Books. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Mar. 2013.
"Dulce et Decorum Est." Poetry for Students. Ed. Michael L. LaBlanc. Vol. 10. Detroit: Gale Group, 2001. 108-124.Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 26 Mar. 2013.
O 'Brien, Tim. "How to Tell a True War Story." Writing Vietnam. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Mar. 2013.
Owen, Wilfred. "Wilfred Owen." Dulce Et Decorum Est, De. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Mar. 2013.
"Tadeusz Borowski (1922-1951)." Short Story Criticism. Ed. Justin Karr. Vol. 48. Detroit: Gale Group, 2002. 1-30. Literature Criticism Online. Gale. Broward College. 25 March 2013 http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/LitCrit/lincclin_bwcc/FJ3594650002
"This Way for the Gas, Ladies and Gentlemen." Short Stories for Students. Ed. Jennifer Smith. Vol. 13. Detroit: Gale Group, 2001. 263-281. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 25 Mar. 2013.
"Wilfred Owen: Biography." Wilfred Owen: Biography. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Mar.