What Is The Paradox In The Lives Of The Dead By Tim O Brien

In the short story “Lives of the Dead,” one of Tim O’brien’s purposes is to show through stories, the dead can be and are brought back to life to cope with reality. O’brien shows in this short story that the dead are still alive in the memories of some and the stories of others to show a way people cope with loss. He explains that him and many others soldiers used this storytelling as a way to remember the dead, to escape from reality in an attempt to cope with the guilt and sadness. O’Brien shows this through his use of one, overall paradox to portray and help develop this concept/theme. O’Brien’s paradox is meant to show that through these stories the dead are brought back to life and are more alive then they were before, even if they are …show more content…
Here O’Brien very thoroughly describes this idea that the dead are brought back to life through stories to cope with the harsh reality and feel as if the dead are still around in their minds/stories. Whether the stories are exaggerated or all out false, the idea of remembrance slightly washes away reality as the dead are brought back to life. This again shows the paradox in of itself and how this whole concept seems absurd, yet makes sense as it is used and done by many people in and outside the war leading to the connection to O’Brien’s first love, Linda. He connects this concept to his past memory of his beloved Linda, who passes away at the age of nine, as he remembers her through stories to bring her back to life and be able to cope with the reality of her death. “Lying in bed at night, I made up elaborate stories to bring Linda alive in my sleep. I invented my own dreams… My dreams had become a secret meeting place, and in the weeks after she died I couldn’t wait to fall asleep at night. I began going to bed earlier and earlier, sometimes even in broad