The Story Of Sweetheart Of The Song Of Tra Bong: The Use Of Setting :: essays research papers

The Story of Sweetheart of the Song of Tra Bong: The Use of Setting Where does the story of Sweetheart of the Song Tra Bong take place? Upon reading the story, one would first assume that it takes place in Vietnam. Upon further examination, however, it becomes quite evident that it really takes place inside Rat Kiley's head. This isn't to declare the story false; instead, one should examine the influence and literary freedom that Rat flexes upon the truth. "For Rat Kiley†¦ facts were formed by sensation, not the other way around." (101) The story occurs in two separate but equally chaotic places: Vietnam, and Rat's head. The story intertwines between the two settings, and in order to completely grasp the idea behind them, one must first recognize, then separate and analyze the two settings. Upon the first reading of this work, the reader finds himself dropping into the story of a seemingly misplaced girl in Vietnam. The role of Rat Kiley seems somewhat minor and irrelevant. Upon the second and third times through, however, his role as the storyteller stands out. It becomes more evident that he holds Mary Anne with the highest regard. He romanticizes her relationship with the war. He is so amazed with the fact that a girl can be seduced by the lure of the wilderness that he begins to talk about her with the listeners as if she were the attractive girl from school that everyone knows but nobody dates. " 'You know†¦I loved her. Mary Anne made you think about those girls back home, how clean and innocent they all are.' " (123) Rat is pushing his views upon the listener. He is shaping how the story is seen. The reader sees "triple- canopied jungle, mountains unfolding into higher mountains, ravines and gorges and fast-moving rivers and waterfalls and exotic butterflies and steep cliffs and smoky little hamlets and great valleys of bamboo and elephant grass." (103) The actual reality of the situation is added by the narrator, as extrapolated from Rat: that they were in an almost completely indefensible situation. Had somebody cared enough to take control of the little base, there would be no resistance. Rat wanted to let the reader know his opinion on the citizens of the Viet Cong, how he wants the listener to think of them. "Mary Anne asked, 'They're human beings, aren't they? Like everybody else?' Fossie nodded. He loved her." (107) Rat lets us know that he thinks the VC are less then human. Why did Fossie nod, in Rat's opinion? Not because he thought Fossie felt she was The Story Of Sweetheart Of The Song Of Tra Bong: The Use Of Setting :: essays research papers The Story of Sweetheart of the Song of Tra Bong: The Use of Setting Where does the story of Sweetheart of the Song Tra Bong take place? Upon reading the story, one would first assume that it takes place in Vietnam. Upon further examination, however, it becomes quite evident that it really takes place inside Rat Kiley's head. This isn't to declare the story false; instead, one should examine the influence and literary freedom that Rat flexes upon the truth. "For Rat Kiley†¦ facts were formed by sensation, not the other way around." (101) The story occurs in two separate but equally chaotic places: Vietnam, and Rat's head. The story intertwines between the two settings, and in order to completely grasp the idea behind them, one must first recognize, then separate and analyze the two settings. Upon the first reading of this work, the reader finds himself dropping into the story of a seemingly misplaced girl in Vietnam. The role of Rat Kiley seems somewhat minor and irrelevant. Upon the second and third times through, however, his role as the storyteller stands out. It becomes more evident that he holds Mary Anne with the highest regard. He romanticizes her relationship with the war. He is so amazed with the fact that a girl can be seduced by the lure of the wilderness that he begins to talk about her with the listeners as if she were the attractive girl from school that everyone knows but nobody dates. " 'You know†¦I loved her. Mary Anne made you think about those girls back home, how clean and innocent they all are.' " (123) Rat is pushing his views upon the listener. He is shaping how the story is seen. The reader sees "triple- canopied jungle, mountains unfolding into higher mountains, ravines and gorges and fast-moving rivers and waterfalls and exotic butterflies and steep cliffs and smoky little hamlets and great valleys of bamboo and elephant grass." (103) The actual reality of the situation is added by the narrator, as extrapolated from Rat: that they were in an almost completely indefensible situation. Had somebody cared enough to take control of the little base, there would be no resistance. Rat wanted to let the reader know his opinion on the citizens of the Viet Cong, how he wants the listener to think of them. "Mary Anne asked, 'They're human beings, aren't they? Like everybody else?' Fossie nodded. He loved her." (107) Rat lets us know that he thinks the VC are less then human. Why did Fossie nod, in Rat's opinion? Not because he thought Fossie felt she was