The reader can understand the Rainy River as a culmination of a conflict, a place of overcoming the internal … He … In this story we meet Elroy Berdahl. by kzoephel. The elderly owner, Elroy Berdahl, rents him a cabin. The Vietnam War is unfolding overseas and Tim is drafted into the military. Reply . Who does O'Brien see on the bank of the river when he is … He leaves work and drives north along the Rainy River, the natural border between the U.S. and Canada. He gave... (full context)...season was over. He had a "silent and watchful presence" The narrator feels that Elroy gently brought him to his realities, taking "me to the edge." What does he represent? He knows that O'Brien is there trying to decide whether to evade the draft, but does not push the matter or make the boy talk about the decision. Elroy is an elderly man who owns the lodge on the border with Canada. Elroy does not pry into O'Brien's plans, though they are probably fairly obvious. Within a wartime setting, embarrassment and shame are amplified from their normal emotion placements. 2 years ago. What does the author reveal about elroy's character in this passage? Although they never directly discuss the war, it is asssumed that Elroy knows why O'Brien is there. Reply Delete. “On the Rainy River” contains the main existential and moral crisis of the book. On the last day, Elroy takes O’brien fishing in the rainy river. Elroy stays relatively quiet and non-judgemental of O'Brien's decisions. When examining this text using a formalist perspective, through the usage of the plot, point of view, and the thoughts and actions of the protagonist, it is clear that a prevalent theme in this … O'Brien remembers Elroy's deliberate silence—he never asked questions about why O'Brien … “On the Rainy River” by Tim O’Brien was set in June 1968 Worthington, Minnesota. They spent all their time together: hiking, working, playing Scrabble. Interestingly enough, Elroy plays a fatherly figure. Within ‘On The Rainy River’, Tim O’Brien expresses a theme of the role embarrassment plays as a motivational factor. In Tim O’Brien’s “On the Rainy River”, Tim is faced with the most difficult decision of his life. There were two different paths that his life could take and each one of them was on opposite sides of the river. It's the off-season, but Elroy … He considers it deeply and comes to a decision he believes to be best for him and the ones he loves. Why hasn't O'Brien ever told the story "On the Rainy River"? He drove right to the border of Canada. He was a liberal and didn’t find either compassion or interest in those who died, mostly because he didn’t know the conflict that was at hand. Tim winds up in a motel on the banks of the Rainy River, which separates Minnesota from Canada. When Tim Leaves Worthington he travels north to the Rainy River, near the Canadian boarder. He drives north and arrives at Tip Top Lodge, a cluster of cabins located near the U.S.--Canadian border, where he meets Elroy, a … 0. -He feels his blood go thick behind his eyes -Scared-Upset. 69% average accuracy. Tim O'Brien drove. He has the opportunity to influence something, manage something at its discretion actively. Its owner (or manager, or caretaker, or something—his actual job is never totally made clear) is Elroy Berdahl, an 81-year-old man. It is a peculiar boarder between a new and old life of O’Brien. “On the Rainy River” Analysis “On the Rainy River” is an exploration of the role of shame in war. Finish Editing. Why does he react in this way? Edit. On the Rainy River...for a couple of days and settles on the Tip Top Lodge. Practice. There he meets Elroy Berdahl, the owner, a man O'Brien claims is the "hero of his life." How does O'Brien feel when his draft notice arrives? Unknown August 31, 2014 at 2:23 PM. Replies. It makes him feel ashamed. Why does he decide to tell the story now? On their last day together, Elroy took O'Brien fishing on the Rainy River. on the rainy river? Play. The main characters in this short story are Tim O'Brien and Elroy Berdahl. He leaves work and drives north along the Rainy River, the natural border between the U.S. and Canada. The elderly owner, Elroy Berdahl, rents him a cabin. Tim O’Brien, the author of The Things They Carried, is still undecided of whether to doge the draft and lose the respect of his family and friends, or go to the Vietnam War and lose his life, in the chapter “On The Rainy River”. He is a normal kid of the 60's; a fan of baseball, hamburgers, and Cherry Coke. "On the Rainy River" DRAFT. The turning point at the river is a classic Freudian scene. O'Brien calls himself a coward because he never … 0. He got tired of holding things in. That's the only time he shows up in the book, though. This quiz is incomplete! On The Rainy River What depth of character do we see from O'Brien's reaction to being drafted? Elroy’s actions reveal his good qualities that help Tim make this important decision, without any words of judgment or criticism. Elroy- Elroy is his saviour, as he puts it. Elroy’s actions reveal his good qualities that help Tim make this important decision, without any words of judgment or criticism. Tim O’Brien, the author of The Things They Carried, is still undecided of whether to doge the draft and lose the respect of his family and friends, or go to the Vietnam War and lose his life, in the chapter “On The Rainy River”. Elroy provides O’Brien with a place free of social obligation and judgment without asking any questions. This quiz is … He is right there when O'Brien needs him, and he lets O'Brien make his own decision about whether to go to Vietnam or run to Canada without judging him or pushing him one way or the other. 13) Discuss the symbolism of the river. Live Game Live. Played 118 times. To play this quiz, please finish editing it. Like when Elroy takes him out on the Rainy River where Canada is just in sight, within 20 yards to be precise. while he does accept the draft he does not do so meekly. Elroy accepted O'Brien's help in preparing the cabins for the winter, and he taught O'Brien how to split and stack firewood. Be specific. The Rainy River represented the choice that O' Brien had to make. It was owned by an eighty-one year old man, Elroy Berdahl. Why doesn’t Berdahl ask the narrator why he’s there? O'Brien is both a coward and a hero for his actions. “On the Rainy River” Theory Evidence from the text Analysis (What does this theory reveal about the text that you might not otherwise notice?) In "On the Rainy River," the narrator decides to go to war because he is a coward; he is too embarrassed not to go: "I would go to the war—I would kill and maybe die—because I was too embarrassed not to." 12th grade . Then, select two other answers from our class to respond to. For ten or fifteen minutes Elroy held a course upstream, the river choppy and silver-gray, then he turned straight north and put the engine on full throttle. - 7584052 sgen7634 sgen7634 12/08/2017 English High School What does the author reveal about elroy's character in this passage? English. What does O'Brien discover about himself? Elroy Berdahl. Not only did O' Brien not want to fight in a war he didn't believe in, he didn't believe he was capable of being a soldier. Elroy is silent besides his quiet whistling, and yet it finally sinks in that O'Brien has a huge decision to make: flee to Canada or fight in the war. The story develops the theme of embarrassment as a motivating factor, first introduced by Jimmy Cross in “The Things They Carried” and “Love.” Just as Jimmy Cross feels guilty about Ted Lavender’s death, O’Brien feels guilty about going to Vietnam against his principles. In "On The Rainy River," Tim O'Brien is faced with an internal conflict: He has received a draft card and does not want to go to the war and fight. On The Rainy River By Tim O'Brien On the Rainy River by Tim O'Brien is a very emotional and carefully constructed short story from the book 'The Things They Carried' published in 1990. After turning in your answers for "On the Rainy River," post your answer to your assigned question. The Rainy River that divides Canada and Minnesota also has a symbolic meaning in this story. Elroy Berdahl is the proprietor of the Tip Top Lodge on the Rainy River near the Canadian border. "On The Rainy River" by Tim O'Brien (October 1st, 1946 --) From the collection The Things They Carried (1990). The old man does not scold, or even … Elroy stopped within swimming distance to Minnesota and O’brien was faced with dilemma: jump and swim or stay. “On the Rainy River” by Tim O’Brien thoroughly illustrates the emotional burdens of war, especially the fear and shame felt by many men who were forcibly drafted into the Vietnam War. … Rainy River- The rainy river is the bridge to the safe haven that is Canada. Berdahl serves as the closest thing to a father figure for O’Brien, who, after receiving his draft notice, spends six … But his superego (what society orders) constrains him. Elroy … The difference in his authority and open mind in the team. If you state that you agree or disagree, explain why. According to the narrator, Elroy Berdahl takes the narrator to the Canadian shore because he answer choices wanted O’Brien to see the beauty of the United States from the distant water. He ended up at the Tip Top Lodge, which was located on a peninsula on the Rainy River. Exhausted and scared, O’Brien stops, still on the U.S. side of the border, at a shabby old fishing resort. He left the next morning, drove back home, and … Share practice link. Do his actions and language support the idea that he “hated” the Vietnam war? Being on the river so close to Canada and his freedom all he can do is cry. Do you think he existed in O’Brien’s life? Coincidentally this is where O’Brien has his change of heart, once he gets so close, he can’t follow through. Edit. Add your answer and earn points. Delete Quiz. Print; Share; Edit; Delete; Host a game. O’Brien was twenty-one when he was drafted to the Vietnam War and twenty years older as the narrator of the story. Elroy does not pry into O’Brien’s plans, though they are probably fairly obvious. At the beginning of the story, the narrator lists a number of … The boy wants to jump out of the boat, his ego and his id (his authentic desires) strain to go. Reader Response “In June of 1968, a month after graduating from Macalester College, I was drafted to fight a war I hated.” It was an influence that forced many men into… Save. … He wore a flannel shirt and brown workpants” (48). Tim O'Brien is a 21 year old man, recently drafted to fight in the Vietnam War, a war he strongly opposes. Hmm, we wonder if he might be a symbol…. on the rainy river? Elroy Berdahl. O'Brien stays at the Tip Top Lodge for six days, and Elroy … That he is not the hero that he thought he would be. What does Elroy Berdahl do that leads the narrator to call him “the hero of my life”? His deep thought on both sides of this issue is what I feel truly makes him a hero. He didn’t think much of it. O’Brien continues to feel nervousness … For him bravery is doing what he believes is right: "the shore just twenty yards away, I couldn't make myself be brave." He started crying and on the other side, he sees hallucination of his family, and friends. The Rainy River comes to symbolize courage. The narrator tells a story from the perspective of a 21-year-old young man whose name is also Tim O'Brien. The final obstacle standing in the way of his freedom, but his freedom is a double standard for his cowardice. Elroy is a pretty mysterious old guy. Elroy was smart man, and from his experience with all different kinds of people, he knew that Tim was in … The main subject is American society’s attitude toward the Vietnam War. So he takes some time to himself and begins thinking about Canada and how he can escape there. 1 See answer sgen7634 is waiting for your help. What role does Elroy Berhdahl play in this story? Welcome to the Tip Top Lodge Would you have jumped? Solo Practice . O'Brien says that Elroy saved his life. “On the Rainy River” is perhaps the moral center of the book. O'Brien has fleed from his life, and is seemingly in need of a trusting and supportive figure in his life. Tim describes him as “… skinny and shrunken and mostly bald. In the Google Classroom "question" for this assignment, copy/paste the two answers you … You can expand on or challenge someone's response also. Homework. Exhausted and scared, O'Brien stops, still on the U.S. side of the border, at a shabby old fishing resort. In " … He reached the Rainy River and found the Tip Top Lodge, owned by Elroy … When he gets to the Rainy River—which separates Minnesota from Canada—he finds an old, broken-down fishing resort called the Tip Top Lodge. There, he stays at the Tip Top Lodge with Elroy for six days, where they bond and … He was too scared to jump, so Elroy steers back to the lodge. Chapter 4: On the Rainy River How did Tim feel about the Vietnam War while he was at college? He's met by Elroy Berdahl, the 81-year-old owner and caretaker. I felt the bow lift beneath me. 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