The Importance Of Free Will In O’Brien’s On The Rainy River

When examining On the Rainy River from an archetypal perspective, O’Brien emphasizes the importance of free will and how it affects one’s life through the archetypal symbol of the owl, the archetypal symbol of the Rainy River, and the archetypal character of Elroy.

Firstly, the owl is used to emphasize the importance of free will. Owls are symbols often linked themes of wisdom and war in Greek mythology. In Greek mythology, it is said that Athena, the goddess of wisdom and war, prefers to win her battles through ‘intelligent discussion’ rather than physical fights (“Greek Gods & Goddesses”). This connects to O’Brien, as he believes wars are “almost entirely an intellectual discussion” (O’Brien). This is also evident by the manner in which he wants to remove himself from the conflict of war, as “he’d be screaming at them, telling them how much [he] detested their blind, thoughtless, automatic acquiescence to it all.” Thus, when O’Brien must choose whether to run or fight, he hesitates, as though he does not want to partake in the war, he does not want to leave his family behind and be ridiculed by others.

In a similar manner, O’Brien also uses the Rainy River to highlight the value of free will. The Rainy River can represent three things: rebirth, life and death, which are big themes in the idea of Baptism. As stated before, Tim must choose between running away or fighting. Essentially, this means he can either be “reborn” and start his life anew, or remain loyal to his old life. Eventually, he makes the decision to not jump into the water, remaining loyal to his old life. It is here where he makes that decision, and the river is what allows him to understand which choice is best for him.

Finally, Elroy Berdahl takes on the character archetype of the ‘Saviour’. The Saviour is responsible in aiding characters’ lives and expressing sympathy during times of distress. In fact, it is evident Elroy fits this role, as right when O’Brien meets him, he states, “The man who opened the door that day is the hero of my life.” There are numerous instances where Elroy has helped him. He lets him live at the lodge, he offers to pay him for his work, provides him with ‘Emergency Funds’ knowing he has been drafted and wants to escape, but most importantly, when he takes O’Brien on a boat trip on the Rainy River, allowing him to make the decision of whether he wants to flee or fight. Elroy allows O’Brien to contemplate without judgment or pressure, displaying the importance of free will, as he is left to decide whether to take the path of freedom, leaving behind memories of his family in the process, or fight in the war, putting himself at risk for exile.

To conclude, On the Rainy River uses the archetypal symbol of the owl, the symbol of the Raining River, and the archetypal character of Elroy to underline to readers the importance of free will and choice and how it can affect one’s life and decisions in the story.