Argument Development: War Related Stories Reveal the Experience of the Soldiers other than the Events that Took Place in During the War
Upon the occurrence of war, soldiers often develop a narrative to describe the phenomenon of events within the battlefields. However, it is difficult to determine the authenticity of any given story since the soldiers often contradict themselves in the course of storytelling. Also, the style of presentation generates a series of doubts among listeners since soldiers might not assume a tone that relates to their narrative. Furthermore, the narrating soldiers often develop the need for the audience to believe their stories despite lacking emphasis on crucial facts and lengthy explanations. Although the stories might seem to be false, they outline the experience of the soldiers on the battlefields, which is the main aim of the narrator.
The aim to develop the experience of the soldiers can be identified through Sander’s story. In relation, Sander’s story develops that soldiers were out in a silent mission in the mountains upon which they were to listen to any voices that would alert the presence of their enemies. Upon settling in a quiet environment, the soldiers heard sounds from the surrounding environment consisting of talks from the mountain and singing choirs. In return, they called for an airstrike around the region (O’Brien 3). However, there was nothing in the surrounding since they attacked empty mountains and failed down the trees in the surrounding. The story might not necessarily be correct, but it illustrates the fear developed by soldiers while expecting an encounter from the enemy.
Also, O’Brien’s (2) develops that it is difficult to differentiate what happened from what looks to have occurred. Obrien identifies that in the presence of a scenario such as Lemon’s death, one looks away only to look back after the event has taken place. In return, the soldiers tell stories relating to their thinking on the events that would have occurred. Based on this argument, it is evident that soldiers’ narrations might get developed based on their thought of what happened other than the actual events that took place in the field. In this regard, they seek to outline their experience in different circumstances other than illustrating the truth of the various events.
Regarding the narration style, soldiers develop events that deter logic, which further facilitates suspicions to their narratives. Lemon’s death narration outline that they had developed a grenade game with Rat upon which they would remove the safety pin and throw it to one another (O’Brien 2). In return, Bob stepped the explosive and got brown up. In real-life situations, soldiers cannot participate in such a game since it is hazardous and may lead to death. Under this narration, the narrator would have wished to outline the kind of deaths incurred within the battlefields and the effects related to such deaths.
Work Cited
O’Brien, T. How to tell a true war Story. (1999)