Tim O'Brien
Short Story Principles
Edits
100

What does he tell his daughter when she asks if he ever killed anyone?

He lies and says he never did.

100

When something turns around in a story like Cinderella becoming a princess.

a reversal

100

The conductor is accustomed with checking his watch as the train comes into the station.

accustomed to

200

In this narration, how many times does he tell the story?

twice

200

when a person suddenly understands something about himself or the world in general

recognition

200

William sympathized to his brother when his brother's wife died.

sympathized with

300

A Detail that says something about his training

He pulled the pin and lobbed the grenade before thinking about it.

300

when a story jumps back to something that happens in the past in order to make something clear

flashback

300

His opinions of the abortion issue were really obvious.

His opinions on

400

Something Kiowa said to him when he kept staring off into space.

The man would have died anyway. It was a good kill. You're a soldier, and this is war. He would have done the same to you.

400

the word for little odd mannerisms that people have

idiosyncrasies

400

Brian was unable to relate with Sarah.

relate to

500

What does he actually picture when he visualizes the scene over and over again?

The Viet Kong soldier just continues to walk on without getting killed.

500

When story starts in the middle of conflict and comes back to introductory information

in medias res

500

The author attached a lot of meaning toward that symbol.

attached to
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