How to tell a true war story

Journal 5
1. Return to the short story, “How to Tell a True War Story.” Find and list as many elements of a true war story as possible. Look for the following phrases for prompts:
“A true war story…..”
• “You can tell a true war story by… ”
• “True war stories do/do not…”

A true war story is never mortal.
In any war story, but especially a true one, it’s difficult to separate what happened form what seemed to happen.
In many cases, a true war story cannot be believed.
In other cases you cant even tell a true war story.
You can tell a true war story by the way it never seems to end.
A true war story, if truly told, makes the stomach believe.
True war stories do not generalize.
They do not indulge in abstraction or analysis.
You can tell a true war story by the questions you ask.
Therefore, its safe to say that in a true war story nothing is ever absolutely true.
Often in a true war story there is never even a point.
Sometimes a true war story cannot be believed because some of the most unbearable parts are true.

2. Now re-read and think about the list of elements of a true war story. How do these elements affect and influence your responses, as a reader, to the stories in this chapter and in this book?
The elements that make a true war story make me think about the stories more. I cringe when I hear some stories and wonder how they could have gone through this. I realize how these stories are truly in the fact that they never end and make my “stomach believe”.
3. According to O’Brien, why are stories important?
Stories are important because they reflect upon events that have happened. They are for used for joining the past to the future he says.

4. What is more disturbing to you, the death of Curt Lemon or the killing of the baby water buffalo? Explain your reasons.
Curt Lemon - because he is a person. I favor people’s lives over animals no matter what. However, I still am upset that the animal died in such a gross way as well. I admire animals and don’t want them to perish either. The water buffalo bleed to death which makes me grieve for it, but a humans life especially one that fights in Vietnam is very sad.

5. On the last page of the story, O’Brien says this story was “not a war story. It was a love story.” What does he mean by this? In what sense was “How to Tell a True War Story” a love story?
When O’Brien is told that the stories made the lady sad but she encourages him to write more, he wants to tell her that they aren’t war stories but love stories. His love for friends and everything else he lost and misses, is told out of his love and through these stories.