Arezou Esmaeeli

Bryan Dunn

English 2, 6th Hour

11 February 2016

Tim O’Brien, Courageous or Cowardly

(On the Rainy River by Tim O’Brien)

 

              Tim O’Brien: He is person against being drafted into the Vietnam war because he doesn’t even know why America is fighting. At the beginning of the story he believed that courage was something that came to us in finite quantities. “...by being frugal and stashing it away and letting it earn interest, we steadily increase our moral capital in preparation for that day when the account must be drawn down” (40). Throughout the story, Tim was anxious about being drafted into the war, many times he thought about running away to Canada in order to avoid being drafted. He was against going to it because he believed he was too good for it. He had a full ride scholarship to Harvard. He felt that someone stupid should be the one to go. One day, he gets in his car and starts driving. He drives until he makes it to the Rainy River and next to it there is the Tip Top Lodge. After meeting the keeper of the lodge, and helping out in the lodge, the keeper sails him right next to the border of Canada where Tim is now able to make the decision. Keep in mind that Tim believed courage was something that built up overtime, Now at the edge of the border, he realizes that he is too much of a coward to run away. Tim has been slapped in the face with reality and instead of making a run for it, he goes to fight in the Vietnamese war. In my opinion, Tim has changed throughout the book. At the beginning he seemed as someone who wouldn’t hurt anyone for reason. At the end of the book, I believe he did become courageous but also cowardly, He may not think he was courageous, but facing your fears when you have to is pretty courageous. He was also cowardly in a sense that he couldn’t fight against something he didn’t believe in.

 

           Courageous: Tim O’Brien is able to openly object America’s views of going to war as being courageous. It is very tough to have an unpopular opinion and openly admitting to it. However, talking about going against the draft and actually going against the draft are two different things. Throughout the story, he mentions that he thinks about running away to Canada. “Both my conscience and my instincts were telling me to make a break for it, just take off and run like hell and never stop” (44). At one point in the story, he leaves home and starts driving north. North towards Canada, until he reaches the Rainy River where across from it is Canada. He goes into Tip Top Lodge, where the keeper there is named Elroy. He helps Elroy out with managing the lodge every day he is there until one day Elroy sails him to the edge of the border of Canada. Tim, on the boat, starts crying realizing that he can’t make himself cross the border. In the end, he fights in the war.

 

           Cowardly: Tim O’Brien doesn’t want to face his fears throughout the entire story. “I feared the war, yes, but I also feared exile” (44). He doesn’t know what he should do. He doesn’t want to do anything that can end in a negative way. He isn’t brave enough to cross the Canadian border, but he is also too afraid to go to war. He wants to hide in the shadows, but he isn't willing to accept the consequences it may bring. 
 

            What are your thoughts on Tim? Do you believe he is courageous, cowardly or neither? What would you have done if you were experiencing the same situation? Would you have crossed the border or stayed on the boat? Either way, this story does a good job of allowing us to feel his dilemma. Throughout the story, I was anxious as to what he would decide. I would have been disappointed in him if he had crossed the border to Canada because he could come back from the Vietnam war, but he may not be allowed back to the United States.