O’Brien’s The Things They Carried and Faulkner’s A Rose for Emily Research Paper

Abstract

This research paper attempts to analyze the purpose of the structure in the books The Things They Carried and A Rose for Emily. It further assesses the impact of the mode in which the information in the books is arranged compared to if it were set in a sequential manner. It also looks into the differences and similarities of both authors as well as the tone of the book as it appears to readers.

Analysis

The mode in which information in both stories is arranged is proper. In a narrative, it is important for an author to present the story in such a way that it does not flow in a chronological manner. There are two main reasons for this. First, such an arrangement helps in releasing the tension that the story may build among readers. Secondly, it presents a chance for the author to inform the readers of what is happening or happened elsewhere. These are important strategies in any piece of art be it written or oral. Reed (23) notes that any piece of work that rotates around the same environment and theme can be boring to readers. When an author takes his or her readers from one environment to another, it is easy to capture their attention to follow the story. This technique helps to maintain the concentration of the readers.

In the ‘The Things They Carried’, the writer moves us from one episode to another. The book could have been less interesting if it just discussed how the war was (Bloom 5). William Faulkner in ‘A Rose for Emily’ also takes us from Emily’s home to the outside world (Faulkner 23). This adds value to the book because it shows the author’s ability to narrate stories that cover more than one environment. The settings in these books vary depending on time and place in the all the episodes.

One aspect that is evidently common among the two authors is their ability to remain neutral regardless of the issue at hand. They do not ridicule the actions of the characters in their books. They do not attempt to persuade the readers to see their point of view. Rather, they leave the reader to analyze a situation and judge. When telling the readers about how the soldiers had detached with reality because of their superstitious nature, O’Brian presents the story in such a way that the reader cannot tell what his views are concerning the theme. This style is common in most works of art where the authors conceal their viewpoints on issues that are emerging in their writing. As Reed (56) notes, this style gives the reader a chance to make a self analysis on the matter in question without the influence of the authors.

In both books, the narrator is unidentified. The writing styles in both books do not identify the storyteller since the stories are told by an anonymous person. In A Rose for Emily, the story is told from an anonymous resident’s point of view (Faulkner 7). There is no mention of a narrator. The author has however identified the protagonists of the story. Despite this, the story has been presented in a fascinating manner to attract the reader’s attention. First, chapters of the book give brief by clear description of the characters so that the reader can identify with them. By giving the descriptions of the characters or their beliefs, the author creates awareness to the reader on the kind of people that will be ‘meeting’ in the story.

However, the styles used by both authors differ. While O’Brian’s book is written from the past to the present, Faulkner’s book uses flashback and overshadowing to pass the intended message effectively. The narration in O’Brian’s book tells the story from the time the soldiers set off to Vietnam. The aspect of flashback in this book is very minimal (O’Brian 17-37). Faulkner uses flashback to present events that take place before the beginning of the story. This can be illustrated at the start and end of the story. The story begins by a description of the scene of Emily’s funeral. This is a flashback because the story ends with the narrator’s memory of how the town’s people discovered the corpse of Grieson in Emily’s home soon after her funeral (Faulkner 3). In addition, overshadowing builds the expectations of the readers on events that are yet to happen. This therefore serves as one of the most outstanding difference between the two authors. The mode in which the stories are presented gives the readers an idea of the styles that each author uses in their written work.

The titles play an important role of giving the readers ideas of the messages the authors intend to present. This is not always the case since some titles are not straight forward. In some instances the readers have to go through the whole book to get the message of the story. The title A Rose for Emily does not give the reader a very clear idea of what the author wants to discuss. The only correct hypothesis that the readers can make is that one of the characters in the book is called Emily. Many people would associate such a story with pleasant experiences while this is not the case. The title used therefore conceals a hidden meaning because it does not give a straight forward idea on the content of the book. Reed (67) sees the idea of titles as one way of identifying serious readers. He further notes that committed readers do not judge the book by its cover or title. O’Brian’s Things They Carried can give the readers a thought on the contents of the book. First, the presumption would be that the characters in this story set out for a journey and carried with them ‘some things’ (O’Brian 47). The reader can be sure that those things (whatever they were) have been mentioned in the story.

O’Brian uses a melancholic tone in presenting the narrative. The mood that revolves around the book reflects sadness. One of the main themes in the story is isolation. Soldiers feel separated from the rest in the world to an extent that they feel that however much they try to express their experiences to their peers and family, they will never be understood. Following this, they feel of isolated when they return home. Their experiences in Vietnam are also expressed in a sad way. Some like Tim attempt to run away from this hostile environment.

Faulkner uses a serious and sympathetic tone (Faulkner 78-140). Emily is not comfortable in her own home. Her father does not seem pleased with any of his daughter’s suitors. One of the main themes that have been discussed in the story is death. Death is prevalent in this story. About five deaths are mentioned throughout the book. In everyday life, death brings about solemn moods.

As a reader I take a sad mood. This is basically because both stories focus on sad events which happen to us sometimes. This mood is further enhanced by the fact that the events are common experiences. This therefore reminds me of all the real events like these that I have witnessed in my life. The mood that the books set has a direct effect on the readers. Human suffering and death are catastrophic to all human beings. According to Reed (45), when we watch a movie or read a sad story, we tend to be affected by its events. This is manifested by our reflection on the events after it comes to an end. We may ask questions like, why did it have to end that way? What if that happened to me? Do such events happen in real life? This generally shows that the events in both books arouse the emotions of the readers.

Conclusion

This paper focused on the books Things They Carried by O’Brian and A Rose for Emily by Faulkner. The two books possess common features and at the same time differ in presentation styles. O’Brian’s book is presented in a melancholic tone (Bloom 5) while Faulkner’s is presented in a serious and sympathetic tone. The events in both stories affected me as a reader because they left me in a sad mood.

Works Cited

Bloom, Harold, ‘‘Tim O’Brien’s The Things They Carried’’, Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishers, 2005. pp. 3-137. Web.

Faulkner, William. A Rose for Emily, Bellevue, WA: Merrill, 2001. pp. 1-140.

O’Brian, Tim. The Things They Carried, New York: Perfection Learning Prebound, 2010. pp 1-233.

Reed, Mary, Teaching Powerful Personal Narratives: Strategies for College Applications and High School Classrooms, Melbourne: Maupin House Publishing, Inc. 2004. pp. 23-67.