Lit & History: How to tell a True War Story

Download and read the award winning short story by author Tim O’Brien linked below. While reading, consider the following questions:
1) At the end of the first page O’Brien writes: “A true war story is never moral. It does not instruct, nor encourage virtue, nor suggest models of proper human behaviour, nor restrain men from doing the things they have always done.” What do you think the author means by this?
2) Why do you think derogatory terms are used for the enemy? connect this to our conversations around Social Identity Theory
3) What do you believe the overall main point of the author is? What message is he trying to get across? Does this message give you any insight into the nature of war?