What Is The Theme Of Ambush By Tim O Brien

The true realities of war is such an important topic to draw attention to, and many authors, such as Tim O’Brien, successfully draw attention to these realities through their writings. In “Ambush”, Tim O’Brien manages to show some of the realities of the Vietnam war by describing the story of two fictional characters. Tim O’Brien shows the PTSD, violence, and guilt that Vietnam war soldiers experienced. His story communicates the trials that Vietnam soldiers would have had and the thoughts and emotions they could have felt.
One of the big realities of war is the PTSD and lasting mental problems for soldiers after the war. “Ambush” by Tim O’Brien represents that, and backs up the reality of soldiers of the Vietnam war suffering from PTSD. Studies have found that “Veterans who

In “Ambush” the guilt of the soldier is shown when he says, “Sometimes I forgive myself, other times I don’t” (O’Brien 3). This part of the story accurately shows the reality of the guilt many Vietnam soldiers felt. Many soldiers, not just Vietnam soldiers, can suffer from this guilt and shame too. A study on some of the Vietnam veterans who committed war atrocities shows that,“Long after the war, a soldier's shame may keep him in the shadows, while his guilt turns his aggression toward himself; this time he may feel it is he who must die”(Singer 5). Another part of this study showed that a Vietnam war veteran “may talk of feeling haunted by his victims manifested by recurring nightmares and even hallucinations in which he hears the cries and sees the faces of his victims”(Singer 5). Tim O’Brien also accurately describes something like this happening, where later in life, the soldier sees the face of his victim. In “Ambush”, through the use of describing this character’s thoughts and his experiences after the war, Tim O’Brien accurately shows the reality of guilt a Vietnam War veteran could experience.
Both the PTSD and guilt many of the Vietnam Veterans experience could be connected