Fiction as TruthFiction as Truth

““Fiction reveals truth that Fiction reveals truth that reality obscures.”reality obscures.”

Ralph Waldo EmersonRalph Waldo Emerson

American GothicGrant Wood, 1930

What “truth” may be What “truth” may be told by this painting? told by this painting?

The Problem We All Live With Norman Rockwell 1963

Is this painting fiction or truth?

Truth or Fiction? Truth or Fiction?

V-J Day in Times Square1945

Are there elements of fiction in Are there elements of fiction in this photograph?this photograph?

“Migrant Mother”Dorthea Lange (1936)

What “truth” does this print tell What “truth” does this print tell us about Marilyn Monroe? us about Marilyn Monroe?

Marilyn Monroe pop artAndy Warhol (1967)

What story do the What story do the following covers following covers from LIFE from LIFE magazine tell?magazine tell?

LIFE, 1

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, 19

44

Aaron Bohrod,War Artist

April 30, 1945

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“A true war story is never moral. It does not instruct, nor encourage virtue, nor suggest models of proper human behavior, nor restrain men from doing things men have always done.” Tim O’Brien

• Do the covers from LIFE Magazine during WWII tell a “true war story”? Explain.

The Story of

the Vietnam War

as told through the covers of

LIFE Magazine

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“A true war story is never moral. It does not instruct, nor encourage virtue, nor suggest models of proper human behavior, nor restrain men from doing things men have always done.” Tim O’Brien

• Do the covers from LIFE Magazine during The Vietnam War tell a “true war story”? Explain.

“In a true war story, if there’s a moral at all, it’s like the thread that makes the cloth. You can’t tease it out. You can’t extract the meaning without unraveling the deeper meaning. And in the end, really, there’s nothing much to say about a true war story, except maybe ‘Oh.’”

-Tim O’Brien