O'Brien wrote If I Die in a Combat Zone as non-fiction, based on his personal experiences. How does O'Brien make the reader believe in his reliability as a narrator? What makes his interpretation of the Vietnam War authentic?
The twenty-three chapters of "If I Die in a Combat Zone" are brief and several chapters are not in chronological order. In what ways did the architecture of this memoir influence your understanding of O'Brien's experiences? What are a few reasons why O'Brien would structure his memoir this way?
Throughout this memoir O'Brien struggles with his belief that the war is wrong, his preoccupations of desertion, and the concepts of honor and courage. In what ways does the Army counsel the misgivings of the young O'Brien? How is he treated for voicing his concerns? How does O'Brien deal with these.....
