The Things They Carried: Response to On the Rainy River

It is easy to say that I would flee to Canada if I were drafted for a war, especially a war myself and most of America didn’t support. However, thinking about all of the memories and people I would be giving up would stop me, just like Tim O’Brien. I think he is accurate in saying it is cowardly to not flee; the thought of leaving behind everyone and everything you have ever known is terrifying. I tried to put myself in Tim O’Brien’s shoes; I pictured myself sitting on a boat so close to Canada, and tried to imagine what memories would come to mind.

I first pictured my childhood, and slowly more and more memories came to me throughout my life; my sisters and I playing hopscotch in the summer; all three of us sleeping in the same bed whispering secrets all night; my little sister asking me what I was going to have for breakfast every night; watching Snow White every day; waking up at 4am Christmas morning; playing with American Girl dolls; Backstreet Boys Millenium album; crazy hair day in elementary school; starting the Harry Potter series; violin lessons; my grandparents; Luke’s funeral; choir retreat in the fall; bonfires and s’mores; Camp Honeyrock; my first 6^th grade dance; standing on the Great Wall; my first day of high school; my six best friends backpacking trip; Lollapallooza; white outs for the football games; standing on the cliffs in Knysna, South Africa; senior prom; training to Chicago; graduation on the football field; college music auditions; my parents dropping me off at college; the list goes on and on.

These memories would stop me, as they did Tim O’Brien, from fleeing to Canada. I would be unable to leave all of the memories of people and places and things that have affected me and made me who I am today. It is very ironic that O’Brien sees his decision as going to war cowardly; many people believe that is the brave thing to do. However, it takes a lot of courage to run away from everything you have ever known and completely start over. All of these memories would force me to make the same decision that O’Brien made; I would be a coward and I would go to war.