“On the Rainy River”, depicts the discomfort and mortification of going into a war. It is a regular day, and Tim O’Brien is working as a pig declotter in his Minnesota hometown. He receives a draft notice, O’Brien must make a decision whether or not he should go to war, deliberately knowing that it goes against all of his principles. In a daze and panic, O’Brien rushes home and packs all of his belongs. He starts driving, a winds up on The Rainy River, which is seperated from his Minnesota hometown and Canada. There he mets, Elroy Berdahl, an 81 year old man, who takes him in without any questions. Elroy provides, Tim with a place to stay, food, water, and work amongst the household. On the last day, before Tim leaves, Elroy gives Tim money
