"On the Rainy River" by Tim O'Brien, "The Setting Sun and the Rolling World" by Charles Mungoshi

      "On the Rainy River" is written by Tim O'Brien. This story was very easy to read, and you could speed through it without stuttering. It was that easy to read. I could feel the author’s pain in this story. I was amazed that he went through all of that and would write it down for everyone to read.
     I wondered why in the past once the people get a draft, they have to go to the war. I wonder why they have to force men to go to the wars when they do not want to join. Why not let them make their own decision if they want to risk their lives or not for their countries. Forcing them to go to the war violates their rights to choose what they want to do. America supposed to be a dream country for everyone but this seems not because of the forcing. It seems that the government of America is corrupted in that way. We actually are under their control, we aren’t really free like they said we are.
    I wonder what made the author to write his experience in the story. Is it because he wanted to lift some of his guilty burden off his shoulders by telling us what happened? I wonder how did the old man in the story knew what happened to Tim without asking? Is it because the old man has run into many young men who did not want to go to war? I want to know why the old man would help Tim to make decision by taking him to the edge of Canada water.
    When the old man said that he wondered why the heck Tim smells so much like pig, and that he wondered if Tim loved on eating pork or something, this made me laugh. Somehow that phrase was funny to me. Don’t ask me how.
    If I was in Tim’s shoes, I would have gone to the war because I would have no guts to escape from the draft. I would just give myself up and go battle the enemies. Tim impressed me with his guts, and that he was barely an adult. He was only 21 years old when that happened. I bet that I would cry and break down, then accept the fact that I am going to the war. Good thing that I am female, and if I was in his time I would be only housewife. Sadly, at the end he changed his mind on escaping, he decided to go to war because he couldn’t face the exile from his people. I agreed with his statement on him being coward because he gave into going to the war.
    Now, I know why the story is called “On the Rainy River.” How I figured it out? Because Tim and the old man is in the boat floating on the Rainy River. That is the river’s name, and the change of his mind occurred on this river. That’s why the title of the story is called “On the Rainy River.” I really felt his pain, and it was good story. Very detailed in not boring way, and gave me the insight to his feelings. Overall, I wouldn’t have what he done in the beginning, I would be the one who immediately give in and go to the war.








    “The Setting Sun and the Rolling World” was written by Charles Mungoshi. This story was not making any sense to me, it was hard understanding what the characters were talking about. I felt that they should be less vague on what they were talking about. I think they should explain and elaborate more, and then I would understand it better.
    I want to know what these characters, Old Musoni and Nhamo were talking about? When I read the story, nothing came up in my mind on what they were referring to. Only thing came up on my mind is that Nhamo is leaving home for something. I wonder what about the Nhamo leaving home makes Old Musoni so attached to him, not wanting him to leave home? Is it because Nhamo is going on a dangerous journey? Or is he going to a place that he possibly will die? I get this impression from the story.
    When Old Musoni wished that the rain would come, this made me think that his land is full of drought, that the land is very, very dry. That it is not reliable to use to get food from. Also Nhamo mentioned that the land was overworked and nothing could grow from the land to Old Musoni, this proves my theory of the land. I wondered why didn’t Nhamo just go ahead tell his father what he said in his mind instead of just saying that he will be ok and that Old Musoni shouldn’t worry. Why don’t he be blunt? I am sure the truth is more better than covering up what he wants to say.
     Same thing with Old Musoni not saying what he said in his mind either to Nhamo. Old Musoni gave a good reason to not say what he said in his mind. He said that he was tired of this and that they have been going at this for two months, but Nhamo gave no good reason to cover up what he wanted to say.
     In all, the story wasn’t satisfying for me at all. I felt that I didn’t get much from the story, all I got was an impression. The impression was that Nhamo is leaving home for something and that it might be dangerous for him. That’s all I got from the story. I wish that I could catch Charles Mungoshi and ask him what he really meant in the story.