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In The Lake Of The Woods Language Analysis

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General Douglas Macarthur of the US Army once stated “the soldier above all other people prays for peace, for he must suffer and bear the deepest wounds and scars of war”(General Douglas MacArthur's Farewell Speech to West Point). This quote truly emphasizes the effects that war has on the men who fought in them. The mental strain that war causes can be seen in the main character of In The Lake Of The Woods, John Wade. In the novel, author Tim O’Brien utilizes constant repetition as well as violent visual imagery to depict how in times of great stress, people commit actions without realizing their haunting consequences, such as Kathy’s possible escape. The role of repetition is implemented during chapter thirteen. The chapter, titled “The …show more content…

This chapter, however, focuses on the how Kathy could have possibly been affected by such scenario. Through the entire book, Tim O’Brien describes the Kathy and John’s relationship as a strained, tense marriage. O’Brien wrote “tell the truth… Tell him it had to end. Tell him she knew… just telling”(O’Brien 116). This quote underlines their cryptic relationship and how she plans to resolve it. The repetition of the phrase “Tell”(O’Brien 116) in the hypothesis chapter encompasses the overall stress that Kathy faced as she tried to make the decision to either stay with her insane husband or flee his control. In such stress, Kathy could have made a simple error, such as forgetting to put on a life vest, leading to her …show more content…

These devices were used to show the stress in a certain situation, as well as the repercussions. This theme may seem irrelevant to most of society, as people are not normally faced with conflict as great as war. It is important, however, to remember that decisions made in a stressful environment should always be well thought out to avoid regretful

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