Analysis of "Spin" Narrative Structure

This week, I’d like to discuss the narrative structure of the “Spin” chapter. What O’Brien does to relive his experiences in this chapter is different from his previous narratives. For the first time, he lets his readers in on the way he is feeling now, at the time of his writing the novel. Guilt is an obvious reaction he has while writing about the war. Three times in the chapter O’Brien reminds us that he is forty-three years old and the war is over. Yet again, he contradicts himself when he talks of the war as remaining infinitely, “in it’s own dimension. Replaying over and over.”

"Forever and ever."

What makes O’Brien’s narrative so effective, not only in “Spin” but throughout the text is the way he captures his endlessly playing memories before abruptly transitioning to the present - almost allowing the reader to peer into his head before shutting everyone out and pulling back into reality.  O’Brien does not seem to have a clear focus in his narrative either. “Spin” begins with what appears to be a chapter about the times when “things could almost get sweet,” but the theme vanishes quickly. Perhaps the guilt he feels prevents the creation of any chapter with a uniform theme or perhaps that is somehow O’Brien’s point.

"We'll never get a clear picture!"

This chapter ends in the present but O’Brien’s message is clear: stories are for joining the past to the future. The message helps explain the unorthodox narrative style; the weaving between memories and present emotions. However, whether O’Brien intentionally used the narrative structure to parallel and reinforce his beliefs about stories is unclear and I would like to hear what you guys think.