The Postmodern Narrative Techniques in Tim O'Brien's "How to Tell a True War Story"

Abstract

The Vietnam War had an irreversible negative impact on the United States, Vietnam, and the world at large. Its effects extended beyond geopolitics and seeped into the domain of literature, where numerous works have profoundly depicted and contemplated the conflict. Tim O'Brien's "How to Tell a True War Story" stands as a prime example of such literature, set against the backdrop of the Vietnam War. Drawing on Jean-Franois Lyotard's theory of postmodern metanarratives, this paper examines how O'Brien employs postmodern narrative techniques that diverge from traditional grand narratives to articulate the essence of his war fiction. Upon analysis, the paper contends that Tim O'Brien adopts the narrative mode of metafiction, blending narrative and commentary texts alongside real and fictive elements. By doing so, he seeks to alert readers to the constructed nature of both the textual and real worlds, encouraging them to perceive war through the lens of individuals' traumatic war experiences.