Blog 5 SN

In the novel Fatal Light there is an interesting style of writing used by the author Richard Currey. He uses the style of flash fiction writing to tell the stories he chooses. This style of writing is described by shortness, usually involving no more than 1500 words. These stories get right to the point without getting into the characters involved. As opposed to the novel by Tim O'Brien where you become attached to the characters, you are more focused on the story at hand, as opposed the characters and the feelings and emotions they share.

One of the strengths of the use of flash fiction in this novel is the main points the author is trying to convey about war. Many times when a story gets too in depth, the reader loses the main idea of the story. The flash fiction makes sure to convey the main ideas of the story as quick as possible, not necessarily focused on details. It is understandable that the author would choose this style because Vietnam War was not a glamorous time full of amazing things. This war was very gruesome, and many people died. The easiest way for Richard Currey to get the reader to understand the problems associated with the war was through flash fiction.

Now, this does not mean that there are no emotions associated with this model, it just shows that the author wants to convey other ideas more importantly than the problems emotionally with the characters. If he wanted to get the emotions of the character to the reader, he would have written it like Tim O'Brien, with the detail of how each character dealt with the problems of war. Overall, each style of writing has its pros and cons, and this style is no different. It does a good job of getting important viewpoints across to the reader in a quick manageable way.