Personification because it's saying the river knows as if it is a person or higher being.
Answer:
To use the genre of fiction to explore the harsh realities of war and communicate them to a wider audience.
Explanation:
Author Tim O'Brien's purpose in writing his book The Things They Carried is to use the genre of fiction to explore the harsh realities of war and communicate them to a wider audience.
I would say pessimist. In "The Great Gatsby", Gatsby never ends up getting Daisy. He loved her, but all of his efforts were wasted. She never loved him back. I hope this helps!