On the Rainy River & The Setting Sun and the Rolling World

In the story “On the Rainy River”, the author O’Brien reminisces about the time he ran away from home to avoid being drafted into the war.  In June of 1968 he graduated from Macalester College with summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, president of student body and full ride scholarship for grad school at Harvard. He got his draft notice on June 17. When he opened it he felt like he was too good for the war. He hated the dirty things and camping. He didn’t like blood. He’s not very good at listening. That summer he was a declotter, which means that he gets rid of the clots from the dead pigs. One day he just dropped his water gun and walked out of the factory. He went home to pack and wrote a simple message to his parents. Then he left. He drove north towards Canada. He stopped at the lodge called Tip Top Lodge and stayed there for six days. The man didn’t say anything and asked nothing about why O’Brien came. They played games together and ate together.  At the end he realized he should not rum from his fears and should face it. He went back home and went into the war. He survived, but called himself a coward. If that was in his shoes and I was getting drafted I wouldn’t run away. I would face being drafted. I wouldn’t be a deserter because I would have to face the consequences once I was caught.

In the story “The Setting Sun and the Rolling World”, I feel like the setting was based in Africa or some country like it. Mungoshi was telling his father that it was time for him to leave his home and find something better. The father was telling him to think about it and that the land and his family needs him. But Mungoshi was stubborn, saying that the land was overworked. Finally the father gives Mungoshi his blessings. He states that the land is still his and as long as the father is still alive the home is open to him. I would leave home to find something better for me even if it means leaving home. I would want a better future for myself.  I would work until I am successful then I would come back home and help my parents. I have never worked on a farm so I don’t know anything about farm life. But one day I would like to live on a farm to get experience.