Ambiguity in In the Lake of the Woods “…We all perform vanishing tricks, effacing history, locking up our lives and slipping day by day into the shadows (301).” Reality is relative to the observer; beings so, history is what one makes it. The main character in In the Lake of the Woods is a man named John Wade; the reader knows he is a lawyer, a politician and a Vietnam War vet. He and his wife, …showed first 75 words of 1217 total…

…showed last 75 words of 1217 total…some vision he or she creates to protect him or herself from the immorality he or she sees or does. O’Brien isn’t going as far to say life is a dream but he is saying life isn’t true and is full of unanswered questions. “All secrets lead to the dark, and beyond there is only maybe (301).” Works Cited O’Brien, Tim. In the Lake of the Woods. New York City: Penguin Group, 1994.