Exploration Six from Brandon

Part One: My active reading has been a little difficult to get used to. After reading a certain way for so long it is difficult to change. I have been taught to read a chapter of a book and remember as much as I can, rather than create notes and mark in the book to help me. I hope that by the end of this semester I have fully adopted active reading. I believe it will help me with anything I read. The biggest strengths I see in this book are that the author is able to tell stories that are true, partially true, or made up. However, each story is written with the same amount of detail as if it is real and happening right before the reader’s eyes. This leaves the reader to decide whether a story really happened. The biggest weakness I could see is the author, Tim O’Brien, moves around from different points in his lifetime. For some readers who like things in a chronological order it could become confusing for those readers. My favorite chapter is How to Tell a True War Story. I believe it shows that there are many ways to tell a war story, and sometimes it doesn't matter if the story is completely true or not. War stories can be used to shape others thoughts and opinions about a war. My favorite character is Mitchell Sanders. Sanders is one for showing kindness when it is needed, but he also believes in doing what is just or morally right. “But then for a few seconds everything goes quiet and you look up and see the sun and a few puffy white clouds, and the immense serenity flashes against your eyeballs - the whole world gets rearranged- and even though you’re pinned down by a war you never felt more at peace.”(Page 34, Spin) This quote from the chapter shows the effect Sanders story had on O’Brien, and how soldiers need a break from war. However, after sometime they want back in, they want to fight again.

Part Two: I spoke to my mom about her thoughts about this period in time. She believes that the United States simply should have stayed out of Vietnam, it simply wasn't our war. She also doesn't like how people would treat the soldiers who fought over in Vietnam; they weren't thanked for what they did. They didn't have much of a choice, and they stuck it out and fought for our freedom and others as well. I think this was a big time in America as far as change, considering the civil rights movements, government problems (Watergate) and the war in Vietnam. I did not know much about this time period until this class, and I understand it much better now. I do not think we should have gone into Vietnam either, putting 500,000 soldiers lives at risk for the sake of a country that wants to change its government does not seem like a reasonable risk to take.