"On the Rainy River" by Tim O'Brien Response

Summary:
In this chapter, Tim O'Brien describes how he was drafted and sent to Vietnam despite his own objections to the war. He describes how he is not opposed to war but did not believe the war in Vietnam was justified. When he learned that he was drafted, he feels compelled by his community to join the war against his own views. One day, he decides to escape to Canada to avoid fighting in the war. He drives north, toward Canada, when he stops at a fishing resort. He meets Elroy Berdahl, the owner of the resort, who allows him to stay in the lodge. For six days, he stays with the owner, eating breakfast and playing board games together. One day, they go fishing on a boat along a river that separates the US and Canada where he finds his opportunity to flee to Canada. However, he decides to fight in the war because he is too embarrassed to flee from the war, believing he will be seen as a coward or traitor. He returns home and goes to war because he was a coward.

Response:
Tim O'Brien writes this chapter on the conflict he suffers within on whether or not to go to war. It is, however, the opposite of what is expected. Instead of being too scared to go to war, he is too scared not to go to war. The brave thing to do, he believes, is to not go to war. This is because of the shame he would feel from his community that makes him feel this way. This begs me to ask the question: What is more important? Your morals or your pride? This is a hard question  to ask myself. I would like to think that I wouldn't care about being shamed by my community if I knew I was right. However, I don't know how I would react if it were to occur and I had to choose to defend my beliefs and be shamed, or conform and abandon my beliefs. It is a true test of courage.