“Spin” explores the idea of controlling reality and memory through story. Write a blog entry explaining how this is explored in this chapter. Be sure to explain concepts using detail and commentary.

One of the wonders of communication is how our reality and perception can be controlled by the messenger.  In the book, “The Things They Carried”, O’Brien uses his words and point of view in the story to control our reality and perception.  In the chapter “spin”, O’Brien uses his writing techniques to get the reader to basically believe everything he says.  His point of view changes from 3rd person to 1st person.  He tells the story as if he was actually there and this makes it more believable.  He uses the spin technique to capture his reader.  He says, “On occasions the war was like a Ping-Pong ball.  You could put fancy spin on it, you could make it dance.”  This is kind of what O’Brien does to his own story.  He adds to his story by making up that he was there when he actually wasn’t.  This technique is very effective to capture a reader into reading and keeping on reading a story.