The Things They Carried

by Tim O’Brien

The Things They Carried: Unreliable Narrator 1 key example

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Explanation and Analysis—O'Briens Trustworthiness:

At several points in The Things They Carried, the narrator casts doubt on the objectivity and trustworthiness of his own narration. He contradicts himself, admits to fabricating portions of his stories, and claims that language is not sufficient for expressing what he has experienced and witnessed. Ironically, by making himself an unreliable narrator, O'Brien wins the reader's trust to a greater degree, as he openly addresses many of the challenges involved in narration—and attempts to make up for them, while still respecting the value of storytelling.