The Things They Carried: Internal Conflict-Page 54-58

As Tim O'Brien begins to open up about his time on the Rainy River, he discusses how this experience in his life affected his future. Even though O'Brien has not yet gone to war and experienced the external conflict for himself, he is now experiencing internal conflict. O'Brien has to decide whether he will go back home and accept the fact that he will have to go fight or stay where he is with Elroy and run away from his problems. Just like O'Brien struggles with his personal problem and difficult decision, every person has to work to overcome an internal conflict at one point or another in his or her life. In my opinion, when authors incorporate internal conflict for a character within their writing, readers can better relate to the character because of their similar personal experiences. If I am reading a book where a character is in a difficult situation that I have previously been in, I begin to feel empathy and can identify with them on a higher level. Then, I become more connected and involved in the plot of the story. For me, O'Brien's internal conflict in his story is very effective because it provokes thought. It allowed me as the reader to mentally place myself in the same situation as O'Brien and see which decision I would make if I were him. Overall, internal conflict in literature can become a learning experience in the reader.