The document discusses the difference between facts and fiction. It notes that a fact is something that is known to be true from experience, while fiction is something imagined or invented. It then discusses Tim O'Brien's book "The Things They Carried", explaining that while some parts may have been written from truth accidentally or intentionally describing true events, O'Brien labeled the stories as fiction rather than fact because it is difficult to recall every detail of an experience accurately or have others recall events exactly the same way. Therefore, the document concludes there is no real way to determine what is fact versus fiction in O'Brien's stories.

1. Truth or fictionBy: Brandy Bigler

2. What is a Fact?A Fact is something that actually exists or is known through experience to be true.

3. What is considered FictionFiction is something Feigned, invented or imagined.

4. What makes Tim O’Brien’s book…It is, however, much easier to label a story as fiction as opposed to fact. O’Brien decided that he did not want to risk lying to himself and the rest of the world. As a result, he determined that there was more truth in calling his stories fiction than there was in trying to label them as true.

5. Fact…

8. Fiction…

11. There are not many legitimately true stories. Even stories that are proclaimed to be completely truthful are likely to have some small detail that has been accidently changed due to a lapse in memory or maybe some small outside influence. O’Brien does not by any means label The Things They Carried as a true story, but he does let it be known that some portion of the book was likely written from truth by accident. He may have also written some of it with the intention of describing true events. However, his philosophy is that a completely true story is very hard to come by because of two possible factors. Either it is impossible to recall every detail correctly, or other individuals who may have shared the experience may not recall it in exactly the same way. O’Brien experienced many rare moments that only war can provide, but so did his fellow soldiers. It seems that there is no real way to determine fact from fiction in O’Brien’s stories.

12. THE END