On the Rainy River
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The end of our childhood occurs when there is a change in our life, and we are abruptly faced with a dilemma, we either go with the crowd, or the road not usually taken. Sometimes traumatic-the memory of this event can be etched into our thoughts and dreams forever. Sometimes we make the wrong decision, and in some cases we privately revisit the occurrence our minds haunted with feelings of shame and regret. In the short story "on the Rainy River" the author Tim O'Brien develops the idea that when a young adult is in the midst of a conflict, he or she goes through a painful and strenuous experience. Tim, the protagonist goes through many different stages of this, and some of the events during the summer of 1968 are symbolic of his future, fighting in Vietnam.
The thought of going to war changes Tim's outlook on life, he becomes afraid, and is unable to cope with the idea of going to war in a completely different world. This is the end of his childhood. He can no longer be shielded from the cruel ways of the world his "shining" lifestyle has protected him from. Tim O'Brien describes his town as boring, flat, and old fashioned. It may very well be exactly this, but it gives Tim a sense of security, a roseate and simple life...