On The Rainy River example essay topic

Tim O'Brien, the author of The Things They Carried, is still undecided of whether to doge the draft and lose the respect of his family and friends, or go to the Vietnam War and lose his life, in the chapter "On The Rainy River". Elroy's actions reveal his good qualities that help Tim make this important decision, without any words of judgment or criticism. Elroy's actions reveal heroic qualities. He is a silent Observer who helps Tim overcome his fears.

When Tim decided to leave his hometown of Worthington, Minnesota and drive almost five hundred miles to International Falls, Minnesota, he was unsure of what he was really doing. He knew he just had to leave. He ended up at the Tip Top Lodge, which was located on a peninsula on the Rainy River. It was owned by an eighty-one year old man, Elroy Ber dahl. Tim describes him as. ".. skinny and shrunken and mostly bald. He wore a flannel shirt and brown work pants" (48).

Elroy was smart man, and from his experience with all different kinds of people, he knew that Tim was in trouble and needed help. He gave Tim a room without asking any questions. His self-control for not forcing Tim to talk shows that Elroy was nonjudgmental. Elroy spends a great deal of time with Tim. He allows Tim to help him with the work that is needed for the winter around the lodge. Tim helped Elroy sweep the cabins, bring the boats in, and cut and stack firewood.

By his action of giving Tim work, to keep him occupied and to let him think clearly, it shows that Elroy was sympathetic. Even though Tim didn't talk much, Elroy listened when he did. Elroy was not much of a talker either. Tim says that. ".. he [Elroy] had a way of compressing large thoughts into small, cryptic packets of language" (49-50). Often at night, after a long day of work, Elroy and Tim would sit down and play a game of Scrabble. Elroy would win every time they played.

By sitting down and playing a game with Tim, even though there were no words being said, Elroy showed that he cared. Elroy offered Tim money for the work he had done. He offered to pay Tim three hundred and seventy-five dollars. By offering Tim money, it shows that Elroy appreciates the hard work Tim has helped him with. Elroy and Tim came up with a price of two hundred and sixty dollars for his six nights of stay at the Tip Top Lodge including food. Elroy made Tim home cooked meals three times a day.

After doing some math with the amount Tim owed for the six nights of stay, and the amount Elroy owed him for working, Elroy still thought Tim owed him one hundred and fifteen dollars. Tim would not accept this gift, but Elroy told him to take it and get a haircut. Tim did not take the money, so it was left sitting on the kitchen table all night. The next morning when Tim awoke, he found the envelope tacked to his door with the words "EMERGENCY FUND" on it. On the sixth and last day of Tim staying at the lodge, Elroy took Tim on the Rainy River.

The Rainy River borders Minnesota to Canada. Elroy steered the boat into Canadian waters. Tim describes the imagery of the Canadian shoreline due them only being about twenty feet away from it. By taking Tim out on the river, Elroy is still giving him a chance to change his mind on whether to go home or go to Canada. Tim thinks about jumping out of the boat and swimming to the shore many times, but he just can not do it. He gets frustrated and starts to cry because he does not know what to do.

As he is crying in the back of the boat, he starts to have flashbacks of his life, seeing images of himself growing up. When Tim cries on the boat, Elroy does not say anything but, "Ain't biting" (60), and it shows him that Elroy was there for him in his time of need, and not once did Elroy judge him. He just let him cry his heart out. By Elroy doing all these kind and generous things for a young kid he just met, shows truly that he is a hero. Tim describes a hero as. ".. bravely and forthrightly, without thought of personal loss or discredit" (40). Tim thought that he may have been infringing on Elroy, but Elroy did not show it.

Elroy enjoyed the company. Elroy is still remembered by Tim after all these years, because he was a witness at an important moment in Tim's life. Works Cite dO " Brien, Tim. "On The Rainy River". The Things They Carried. Massachusetts: Houghton Mifflin, 1990.