Opening a Trapdoor in Your Soul: Tim O’Brien’s Pursuit of a True War Story

Honors College Thesis

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Citeable URL: https://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/concern/honors_college_theses/fq978173w

Descriptions

Attribute Name	Values
Creator	Gallagher, Molly J.
Abstract	This thesis project explores Tim O’Brien’s use of fiction to go beyond simply recounting an experience in the Vietnam War to write a true war story through examination of his writing, interviews, and their impact on me as a reader. I dissect three of O’Brien’s fictional narratives for their similarities to and differences from his nonfictional account and investigate the evolution of those differences and what they mean as part of O’Brien’s search for how to best convey the truth and find meaning in his life. The epitome of everything O’Brien wants to offer is realized in his final short story, “On the Rainy River”, where he most powerfully and succinctly captures a true war story. Key Words: Tim O’Brien, Vietnam War, fiction, nonfiction, literature, writing storytelling, war story, truth
License	All rights reserved
Resource Type	Honors College Thesis
Date Issued	2019-08-26
Degree Level	Bachelor's
Degree Name	Honors Bachelor of Science (H.B.S.)
Degree Field	Biology
Degree Grantor	Oregon State University
Commencement Year	2020
Advisor	Drummond, Robert
Committee Member	Delf, Elizabeth Browne, Neil
Non-Academic Affiliation	Oregon State University. Honors College
Rights Statement	In Copyright
Publisher	Oregon State University
Peer Reviewed	No
Language	English [eng]

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