Words: 1945
True War Story Assignment Vietnam was a place Like no other. It was swarmed with presence of stories, some strange, some nefarious, and some just utterly incredible. But for those who think like me, Vietnam, even in its times of horror and imperfections, can really bring out the very true nature In someone. Like the way someone stands upon his feet after numerous bumps and blows, Like the grit that one shows after driven against the wall -? the true character of one person is dictated and influenced by his or her environment and how he or she chooses to deal tit it.
It does not depend on how he or she appears to look like at first. If a person’s character Is easily discernible, don’t believe It because It Is lie. This Is true. I had a boyfriend ever since my grammar school years up until the time I arrived to Vietnam. His name was Mark Fossil, but he was simply known as Fossil. We were high school sweethearts, yes, but arena relationships like those common nowadays? Anyways, he fought In the Vietnam War. One day, he decided to invite me to the camp In which he was situated In, alongside the other soldiers from his platoon.
I arrived there by a helicopter with the daily shipment of supplies for the soldiers. I was instantaneously referred to as the innocent blond with “white culottes and this s*xx pink sweater. ” And yes It Is true; Fossil guiding me around Vietnam all the time by the arm. But as time goes on, I slowly become curious about the war and how I carried myself. I become adapted to life in Vietnam by eating with my hands. I become less concerned about my appearance. My voice becomes lower, my body becomes firmer, and my eyes become colder. It Is not until now that I am becoming sees of a s*x object to the soldiers.
I remember myself saying during one night In Vietnam that “l can feel my blood moving, my skin and my fingernails, everything, it’s like I’m full of electricity and I’m glowing in the dark -? I’m fire almost -? I’m burning away into nothing, but It doesn’t matter because I know exactly who I am. ” After that moment, I am not longer that girl next door In “white culottes and this s*xx pink sweater. ” I proved that women can overcome the identity of a six symbol. Being a female did not obligate me to dress the way people in Alpha Company wanted me to.
I realized that I live according to my own standards, not according to the ones placed by society. Subsequently, I became part of Vietnamese culture rather than a tool of those dumb people in Alpha Company . So what came about me to leave Alpha Company , where am I right now, and how am I writing this story? It’s funny that you asked those questions. Before I answer them, it’s important for you to understand that I went from girlfriend and lover to warrior. This Is the truth and nothing but the truth. I used to be Fossil’s love, but I realized that my true love Is for Vietnam.
And besides, Fossil needed me more than I needed him. Now going back to those questions, I left the platoon to, like I said before, find my true love for Vietnam and to also find my Inner animal. I noticed that the weight of civilization was too overwhelming for me. I am currently living In the Vietnamese wilderness. I am writing this story through the blood of the endemic Salsa species as a substitute for ink. I taught myself how to survive by eating various plants I come across and some swanked Doug languor, which is strictly native to the provinces of Quant Angina and Quant Name.
It is basically a monkey that has lots of hair! I figured that if Fossil and the rest of the boys from that squad only accept me for my beauty, then I should Just spend more time with the one that is truly beautiful; Mother Nature. I know it sounds pretty selfish of me to dump my boyfriend who was kind enough to invite me to Vietnam in the first place, but am I crazy for respecting my environment? I also noticed how people like Rat Killed could kill innocent water buffalos and torture villagers. Yes, it is true that I kill animals too.
But I do not kill innocent creatures out f sheer fun or stupidity, I do it to survive. And I sure as h*al would never torture villagers who are only helping me by cleaning my gun. But listen. Even that story is made up. I don’t kill animals, nor live in the wilderness, nor do I associate myself with monkeys. I want you to feel what I felt as I was present in Alpha Company . Sometimes I felt like a monkey in a cage when I was in the presence of that company; putting on a show for them by looking beautiful. Sometimes I even felt as though living in the wilderness could alleviate my anger towards that company.
I also made up that story to highlight the reality of war stories. Sometimes, in many war stories, it is difficult for the reader or listener to separate what happened from what seemed to happen. What appeared to happen could become its own story and therefore people begin to tell the story that way. A true war story doesn’t require a PHD to understand it. Here is what really happened to me after I left the group of soldiers. I came across this old, meek, and innocent-looking lady. Her name is HTH Dung. But I call her Eng Dung out of respect.
I told her that the American oldies who are here in Vietnam are good-for-nothing sly devils. I also told her that the soldiers are killing innocent civilians. She happened to speak English by the way. I guess that is another reason why I call her Eng Dung, since she is so knowledgeable. I assume she learned that language in school, if she attended. If not, I assume that she picked up the language while speaking to some tourists from America who visit Vietnam occasionally. Dung has helped me learn Vietnamese too. It only took me one year to speak it.
But I am still in the process of learning how to write n that language. So as I first met her, she told me that her daughter and grandson were killed by the American troops. I told her how sorry I was and how it is such a disgrace to America for soldiers to claim innocent lives. Dung understood, however, that it was probably hard for Americans to distinguish between the villagers and the Viet Congo. Then she said “l always knew that my life would come to an end, since I am quite old. But I did not expect to see the lives of my young ones Just disappear before I do. I guess she is right about that too. It must be hard for elders to see their own rancidness die. Anyway;says, I really like it in Vietnam. The culture is much different than that of America, at least from what I experienced growing up. Growing up, my ambitions were to get married with Fossil, live in a beautiful green house with white picket fences, and to raise a family. It’s funny, now that I think of it, how I wanted to live in a green house. That color is the same one that I could be classified as being before I got accustomed to Vietnam and when I was in the Alpha company.
But after getting used to the Vietnamese culture, why should I have to live a dream that would only be shared by someone like Fossil who only looks at me for what I show on the with Fossil. Reflection I believe that my short story contains some of the key elements in a true war story, in reference to O’Brien The Things They Carried. For one, I lied about the story of Mary Anne Bell killing animals, living in the wild, and getting acquainted with monkeys to make the audience understand the difference between a true war story and a one that’s full of lies or extends the truth.
Similarly, in The Things They Carried, the author Tim O’Brien lies about the story in which he killed a man in My She to cake his audience know the difference between story-truth and happening-truth and to make the audience feel the same way he did during the war. Also, I find that the introduction to my short story was told in a similar way to O’Brien narration of the chapter “How to Tell a True war Story’ in terms of what a true war story really is. O’Brien opened the chapter by stating “This is true. ” When reading this sentence, the audience would not have an idea as to what the author is saying and what is really true.
But then O’Brien goes on to explain what a true war story really is and how its original truth is often tweaked or exaggerated. ‘ decided to emulate that sentence in the second paragraph of my short story. I wanted to introduce my audience to what a true war story really is by capturing their attention and to let them know that what I am going to tell them is true. After I wrote the sentence “This is true,” I went on to explain how Mary Anne Bell’s transformation from a lover to warrior correlates to how a true war story could be misconstrued in a way that people begin to transform the true meaning of the original story.
Malden High School Rubric for Short Stories NAME: Criteria 4 (95%) 0(50% or below) Use of Short Story Structure ; Writer effectively and imaginatively uses the plot structure of the short story, including exposition, characterization, rising action, climax and denouement. Writer competently uses the plot structure of the short story, including exposition, characterization, rising action, climax and denouement. Writer attempts to use the plot structure of the short story, including exposition, characterization, rising action, climax and denouement. Writer is missing some elements of the short story.
Use of Source Material Writer includes frequent, imaginative references to the source material, cited as needed. Writer includes frequent references to the source material, cited as needed. Writer includes some references to the source material; citation may be incomplete or inconsistent Writer includes few references to the source material; citations may be limited Writer includes little to no reference to the source material. Style Writer uses an effective narrative voice that meets the assignment parameters; employs a wide variety of vocabulary and sentence structures, as well as effective illegal.
Writer uses a consistent narrative voice that meets the assignment parameters; employs a variety of vocabulary, sentence structures, as well as dialogue. Writer uses a narrative voice that may not meet the assignment parameters; employs some variety of vocabulary and sentence structures. Writer uses a narrative voice that may not meet the assignment parameters; employs little variety of vocabulary and sentence structures. Conventions (Grammar, spelling, etc. ) Writer has control of conventions. Writer may have some problems with conventions. Score: 95+5=100