The Things They Carried Speaking Of Courage
Ever feel like doing the right thing is way harder than it should be? Tim O'Brien's The Things They Carried, especially the section "Speaking Of Courage," digs into that messy feeling, and it does it with a wink and a nudge.
It's all about Norman Bowker after the war. He drives around a lake. A lot. It’s a loop of his own stuck thoughts.
The Medal That Wasn't
He almost won the Silver Star. He nearly pulled a guy out of the muck under enemy fire, but didn’t quite make it. That "almost" haunts him more than anything else.
It’s a medal he didn’t get, a moment he can’t escape, and a whole bunch of words he can't say to anyone back home. Small town life isn't geared for hearing what war really is.
His dad? Obsessed with medals. The unspoken pressure to be a hero, to bring home the glory, is crushing him. Bowker wants to talk, but who understands what it’s like to be knee-deep in it?
The Silent Drive
The story unfolds through Bowker's repetitive drives. He circles the lake thirteen times, each loop a painful reminder of his unfulfilled potential. It’s a very visual way to show a man going nowhere.
Think of it like that one song you keep playing on repeat after a breakup, only instead of Taylor Swift, it's the sound of a sputtering engine and the ghosts of Kiowa.
The Weight of Unspoken Words
O'Brien uses this repetitive act to highlight the paralyzing effect of trauma. Bowker's courage isn't about grand gestures, it's about the quiet, internal battle to keep going. He needs a way to talk and process his loss.
He feels isolated. He is stuck in his story, with no outlet. No one is listening.
Courage Comes in Many Forms
The story isn't just about physical bravery. It explores the courage it takes to face your own failures, to admit you’re struggling, and to ask for help. To simply keep driving, even when you don’t know where you’re going.
It’s about the kind of courage we all need. The everyday kind.
Consider it a poignant, thought-provoking look at courage beyond the battlefield. This is about the courage to live and remember.
"Speaking Of Courage" is not only a story about the Vietnam War. It speaks to universal themes. It can be about any difficult situation or trauma we have had in our lives. It reminds us we need to find a voice and be heard.
Ultimately, "Speaking of Courage" reminds us that bravery isn't always loud. It's often a quiet, persistent act of survival.
