The Story of a Brotherhood

O’Brien depicts the proper epitome of a “true war story” through instructional lead and detailed images both physically and emotionally in order to engage the reader to his highest potential. O’Brien focuses on the death of fellow soldier, Curt Lemon, and the stir of emotions associated with war in entirety and the passings, occurrences and relationships you encounter on the way. Curt Lemon was Rat Kiley’s best friend, and through the visual given by O’Brien, of the way the death happened, and the grief following it, a clear depiction of the relationship between these two men is portrayed. Curt Lemon and Rat Kiley shared the strongest bond of friendship and brotherhood, finding the smallest things enjoyable in the hardest of times. Going out on life threatening missions and finding a way to goof off and make the best of any given situation. The strong form of brotherhood O’Brien bestowed upon us in this passage was so interesting and passionate, making one feel so close to the real, or true, situation. The story of Curt Lemon, and the killing of the baby water buffalo in times of mourning and exhaustion is similar to a story you can’t put into words because of the excessive amount of emotion in those very moments. Rat Kiley was grieving the loss of his brother, grieving and coping in the only way he knew had to. The vivid stories and emotions O’Brien lays out in this passage can be contradictory or repetitive at times, but it is only relaying his message even more. O’Brien is giving meaning to things that some would usually look past, he is giving meaning and relevance to things black and white in order to put the reader in his shoes in that very moment. He is seeing the beauty and remembrance of the sun beaming down on Lemon as he died, being sucked up into the sun and the beauty of life, and giving meaning to the beauty of life and death all composed into one figure. The relationship among these brothers and the situations they endure is giving way for understanding and self awareness of the true story of a soldier and his brothers not only during war, but twenty years after.