What is the effect of “Notes,” in which O'Brien explains the story behind “Speaking Of Courage”? Does your appreciation of the story change when you learn which parts are “true” and which are the author's invention?

I think this is a book about storytelling rather than simply war stories. The metaphor becomes more real than the facts. The stories are dramatic and tend reconcile the thematic content with the harsh factual realities of war. Much like his guilt, O'Brien has reworked his stories to represent a deeper meaning about war and death.