to carry the story along as Tim O?Brien is recalling different events in his

life. It is interesting how O?Brien uses love to explain many different and

contrasting ideas. He tells of love for Kate, love for Chip, and even love for

Vietnam and its people. This reoccurring use of love is important because it

shows the reader how, at least for O?Brien, love is a negative thing.

O?Brien seems to be haunted by love, for him, love is a necessity, he cannot

survive without it, no where is this more evident than after he loses Kate and

he is struggling with suicidal thoughts.

O?Brien needs love, he cannot function without it. He cannot heal all his

pain from the war by himself, but when he is with Kate, things seem better.

the context he does, can the reader even try to understand.

nothing to do with it, but when his draft notice came, he went along. He was

be in the face of utter terror. O?Brien explains his love for his friends,

Love is also very pervasive when O?Brien is describing Vietnam itself. He

order to feel better. If O?Brien had come to Vietnam by himself none of this

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