I have decided to read In the Lake of the Woods by Tim O'Brien for my first literary analysis of the year. What initially drew me to the book was the author; I had read O'Brien's The Things They Carried last year in Mrs Nylander's class, and I really enjoyed it. (Is enjoyed even the right word for war stories? Perhaps it is better to say that I was thoroughly haunted by it.) I researched this novel and found out this is a post-Vietnam story, and I figured that if I liked war novels (especially Vietnam for some strange reason), I would also get something out of what happened after the war. I assume the emotional parts as well as the plot will be powerful.
I also chose this book over others due to the fact that it seems relatively easy to read. I'm not saying that I'm looking for simple grammar and fewer pages, but I just felt that I should ease back into the literary analysis groove with some modern American writing. There were so many other titles I researched, but I just decided that I should pick a familiar author with familiar language and a book I know I can get through with no problem. I don't see any sense in diving into Shakespeare and stressing myself out...at least right out of the gate. I can do that next time around.
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