Quote by Tim O'Brien
In any war story, but especially a true one, it's difficult to separate what happened from what seemed to happen. What seems to happen becomes its own happening and has to be told that way. The angles of vision are skewed. When a booby trap explodes, you close your eyes and duck and float outside yourself. .. The pictures get jumbled, you tend to miss a lot. And then afterward, when you go to tell about it, there is always that surreal seemingness, which makes the story seem untrue, but which in fact represents the hard and exact truth as it seemed.
Summary
This quote highlights the challenges of recounting war stories, particularly when it comes to distinguishing between objective reality and subjective experiences. It emphasizes that the perception of events becomes its independent truth and must be conveyed as such. The experience of warfare can distort one's perspective, leading to fragmented memories and gaps in understanding. Consequently, when one attempts to share these experiences, the line between reality and fiction may blur, creating a sense of surrealism that paradoxically represents the gritty truth as it was perceived by the individual.
By Tim O'Brien
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