A True War Story

The chapter entitled, How to tell a true war story, really explains alot in this book. As I wrote in a previous post I've found it challenging to understand what is true, symbolic, or simply exaggeration. However after reading this chapter I think the author explains that those types of questions are beside the point. The details make the story come to life, they add emotion and scenery for the reader. that's what the author wants. He wants the reader to understand how these men felt and what the real motivation for certain actions were and how the soldiers felt after doing these things. "a true war story is never about war. It's about sunlight. It's about the special way the dawn spreads out on a river when you know you must cross the river and march into the mountains and do the things you are afraid to do. It's about love and memory. Its about sorrow" (page81 last paragraph) This paragraph really puts what he is saying into perspective. these stories are memories, not just facts, so they have the emotions and exaggerations that the men felt at that time.