"..when memory is erased, when there is nothing to remember except the story".

I remember reading this book in high school nearly four years ago, and one of the things I remember most is the style in which it's written--all the jumping around from past to present in O'Brien's flashbacks. It's funny, he almost explains to us his style of writing at the end of "Spin" when he writes,

"Stories are for joining the past to the future. Stores are for those late hours in the night when you can't remember how you go from where you were o where you are. Stories are for eternity, when memory is erased, when there is nothing to remember except the story."

It would seem to me that O'Brien is telling us that that is what he is doing here in this book--he is telling us all of his stories--or what's left of them--that join the distant pieces of his life together. I like the interruption writing style personally; it keeps me engaged. And he certainly engages with the reader especially toward the end of "On the Rainy River" at the part that I like to consider his epiphany, upon deciding that , "I would go to war-- would kill and maybe die--because I was embarrassed not to". O'Brien engages us just one page prior to that inciting moment. He asks us what we would do in his situation and he even paints the picture of feelings for us; the tightness in his chest, the waves, the silence, the hand squeezing pressure.

"What would you do? Would you jump? Would you feel pity for yourself? Would you think about your family and your childhood and your dreams and all you're leaving behind? Would it hurt? Would it feel like dying? Would you cry as I did?"

As I was reading that I was answering those questions--or trying to as best I could. I think this style of writing and engagement is a part of the reason that O'Brien's book is still being read and taught from high school to the collegiate level. It also does exactly what he explains in the first quote I mentioned, when he talks about the memories fading and all that is left to remember is the story; I remember all the stories that he told throughout the book even so many years later.