Tim O’brien’s in the Lake of the Woods Literary Summary

In the Lake of the Woods written by Tim O’Brien was based on mystery and remained an enigmatic piece of literature even in its conclusion. The point-of-view, plot, and figurative language developed by O’Brien were critical in maintaining the mystery as consistently and effectively as was evident in, In the Lake of the Woods. The main character, John Wade, believed he was a magician from early childhood and throughout his development into adulthood. He was the ultimate magician both personally and in his perception of his vocations of soldier and politician. Many points-of view were incorporated into the story. A continuous element throughout this story is the mystery of the narrator, the character of Kathy, and the evidence provided or presented as hypothesis by numerous characters. The author obscurely states that the reader will not find an answer to the many questions raised throughout the book. “I have tried, of course, to be faithful to the evidence. Yet evidence is not truth. It is only evident. In any case, Kathy Wade is forever missing, and if you require solutions, you will have to look beyond these pages. Or read a different book (O’Brien 30.)” The identity of the narrator is not clearly stated and is written primarily in third person with the exception of footnotes. Eight chapters are devoted to evidence and hypotheses in order to lead the reader to certain negative conclusions. O’Brien states in footnote 132, “Because, on the other hand, there is no accounting for taste. It’s a judgment call. Maybe you hear her screaming. Maybe you see steam rising from the sockets of her eyes (300.)” This type of assertion directly leads the reader to believe there was a negative ending. Yet when looking at the exact language used in this footnote, it remains ambiguous.
O’Brien maintains the mystery of the plot, the characters, and the ending through his unusual writing style that includes a lot of flashbacks and forwards with little dialog and excessive