Irony In The Things They Carried
In the short story, "The Things They Carried”, Tim O'Brien writes about the soldiers of Vietnam and the burdens they had to carry with them. In this story, O'Brien uses symbolism, irony and the theme of burden and guilt to portray how the war has affected the men and the ways they cope. O’Brien’s usage of these literary devices serves as a remembrance of what the soldiers have left behind and a false sense of security about the violence and death that surrounds them. We are able to see the way each of the characters’ deal with the atrocities of the Vietnam War and what their objects say about who they are.
One of the literary techniques prominent in “The Things They Carried” was symbolism which allows O’Brien to show the men’s feelings though …show more content…
Lee Strunk “carried his slingshot; ammo” which he claimed that “would never be a problem” (O’Brien 105). In war a slingshot isn't going to be very effective and it’s ironic how O'Brien puts emphasis on the fact he has enough ammo it's not a problem for Lee. He is carrying extra unnecessary weight from the ammo he claims is going to protect him when in reality he'd be lucky to hit the enemy. Norman Bowker who was “otherwise a very gentle person, carried a thumb” that was a gift from another solider (O’Brien 106). It’s ironic because not only is this gentle guy fighting in a war, he is carrying around a thumb from a dead kid who he toyed with after cutting it off. Lieutenant Cross spent most of the war daydreaming about Martha back home, looking at her pictures and letters. He would yell at his men to spread out and keep their eyes open which is ironic because he would return to his daydreams, pretending to be back on the beach with Martha. The men know nothing of his daydreaming believing he was focused solely on them when he had not paid any attention. This is dramatic irony particularly when Cross takes the responsibility for Lavender’s death. The reader knows he has been daydreaming the entire time but he should have been thinking about his responsibilities rather than the girl back
One of the literary techniques prominent in “The Things They Carried” was symbolism which allows O’Brien to show the men’s feelings though …show more content…
Lee Strunk “carried his slingshot; ammo” which he claimed that “would never be a problem” (O’Brien 105). In war a slingshot isn't going to be very effective and it’s ironic how O'Brien puts emphasis on the fact he has enough ammo it's not a problem for Lee. He is carrying extra unnecessary weight from the ammo he claims is going to protect him when in reality he'd be lucky to hit the enemy. Norman Bowker who was “otherwise a very gentle person, carried a thumb” that was a gift from another solider (O’Brien 106). It’s ironic because not only is this gentle guy fighting in a war, he is carrying around a thumb from a dead kid who he toyed with after cutting it off. Lieutenant Cross spent most of the war daydreaming about Martha back home, looking at her pictures and letters. He would yell at his men to spread out and keep their eyes open which is ironic because he would return to his daydreams, pretending to be back on the beach with Martha. The men know nothing of his daydreaming believing he was focused solely on them when he had not paid any attention. This is dramatic irony particularly when Cross takes the responsibility for Lavender’s death. The reader knows he has been daydreaming the entire time but he should have been thinking about his responsibilities rather than the girl back