Analysis of Postmodernism and Metafiction in the Things They Carried

In “The Things They Carried”, Tim O’Brien uses various techniques of postmodernism and metafiction to achieve distinct rhetoric goals. By using these techniques, it helps the readers understand what O’Brien is thinking about while he is writing. This is why this book is what it is. By O’Brien completing his distinct rhetoric goals, it further enhances the complexity and thought provoking ness of “The Things They Carried’. O’Brien uses postmodernism all throughout the novel to give readers a more insightful view. Postmodernism is a narrative technique used by authors to mainly explain reality.

Postmodernism also consists of paradoxes and fragmentation. Many times in the novel, O’Brien tells us something whether it be a short sentence or a long story then says how none of it was true. This goes along with one of the themes in the novel. This theme is reality and is based off of perspective. Many times O’Brien will talk about how a story can have added things that are not true, but as long as it is getting the point across that the speaker wants, then it is okay. A clear example of this is on page 152 where O’Brien states, “You start sometimes with an incident that truly happened, like the night in the shit field, and you carry it forward by inventing incidents that did not in fact occur, but that nonetheless help to clarify and explain”. This goes to show how he uses this technique to further enhance the reader’s understanding of the point and the theme that O’Brien wants to get across.

O’Brien uses a paradox in chapter 4, “The Rainy River”. The paradox that is being used is between bravery and cowardice. O’Brien, tells a story about when he was young and how he was an anti war supporter. Later on he was drafted. His immediate reaction was that he was in disbelief. He states that he did not know what to do and that even the idea of fleeing into Canada ran through his mind. He says he does not want to run away, but he also does not want to go to Vietnam. O’Brien states on page 244 that he believes him going to the war still makes him a coward. ‘I survived, but it’s not a happy ending. I was a coward. I went to war’. There is also a paradox here. The paradox is that most people consider going to war as an act of bravery and courage, but he believes that going to war actually made him a coward. O’Brien uses fragmentation throughout the novel to connect the readers to his experiences and emotions. Fragmentation is especially used in the chapter “Spin”.

For example, O’Brien shares the story of soldier Curt Lemon’s death in fragments to show all the true emotions that he felt at the time. This helps the readers understand the respect and love that two fellow soldiers had for each other. This is a way that O’Brien manipulates the readers’ emotions. O’Brien’s use of postmodernism makes the readers truly develop and understand emotions. O’Brien’s use of metafiction is all throughout the novel. O’Brien reminds the readers that the stories he tells are fiction, but some parts of it are true. Metafiction is also when the author speaks directly to their readers by reminding them that the novel is a work of fiction. He is constantly using metafiction, whether it is in a long story or even a short sentence. Tim O’Brien uses metafiction to talk to the audience in first person, switching perspectives. He does this in order to show the true feelings of the soldiers. O’Brien states, “You can tell a true war story if it embrasses you. If you don’t care for obscenity, you don’t care for the truth; if you don’t care for the truth, watch how you vote. Send guys to war, they come home talking dirty.” This is a clear example of O’Brien trying to directly speak to the readers about when soldiers come home and showing how they are permanently changed from the experiences of war.

Another example of this is in the chapter “Good Form”. O’Brien states, “Right here, now, as I invent myself, I’m thinking of all I want to tell you about why this book is written as it is.” This quote shows how he is directly speaking to the readers about his thought process on why the book is written and composed the way it is. O’Brien uses metafiction to make the readers realize that there is truth within the work of fiction. O’Brien’s use of metafiction and postmodernism helps the readers understand the distinct rhetoric goals of there being truth within fiction and how the war affected the lives of the soldiers forever. Without his use of these techniques, the novel would not be the same.