therefore‚ construction of a new morality is inescapable. Within the stories in The Things They Carried‚ soldiers are required to do so during and after the Vietnam War. War breeds monstrosities and wanton cruelty. When faced with two evils‚ picking the lesser immoral option is not necessarily something to be frowned upon. This is what separates a soldier’s morality and a civilian’s morality. Civilians see things through a black-and-white perspective; fundamental standards that must be obeyed to
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The Things They Carried‚ written by Tim O’brien is a novel‚ which depicts the Vietnamese war‚ specifically experiences of the soldiers during and after the war. Youth is portrayed in the novel as a significant factor‚ which influences not only the idea represented in the novel but also the author himself. Although this is no explicitly stated throughout the book‚ there are a couple of characters that are more significant to Tim O’brien than others. These characters are Linda and Kathleen. By analyzing
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October 1st 2012 The Things They Carried Close Reading p. 1-26 - Pages 3 and 4: So many items being carried… what is the purpose? Quote(s): “Kiowa also carried his grandmothers distrust for the white man…” (Pg. 3) “…The poncho weighed almost 2 pounds‚ but it was worth every ounce” (pg. 3) Meaningful words/ phrases: pounds‚ weighed‚ grunts‚ Kodacolor‚ Bonnie and Clyde Overall meaning/ author’s purpose: The soldiers do not only carry material goods‚ they also carry emotions. Such is Kiowa’s
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To be raised in a barn often means you lack the mannerisms deemed acceptable by society. To be raised by the circus means your mannerisms are only slightly more acceptable than one who was raised in a barn. Riley’s situation was the later. The story begins when two lovers Kwangsoo and Sohee Ahn had ran away from Genao to Reno in hopes to start a new life together. Trouble was to arise as Kwangsoo neglected to tell Sohee his grave secret. Fearing for the fate his child ‚ Kwangsoo tried to explain
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The Weight The soldiers who served during the Vietnam War carried more than their fair share of tangible and intangible items. The soldiers bore the weight of their packs‚ they lugged around heavy equipment‚ and they struggled to cope with the violence and death that surrounded them. But the heaviest item that they would bear would not be by choice at all. Every passing day that the soldiers served in this war‚ more weight would be added to this item. When the time came for the soldiers to
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The Things They Carried: Necessities In The Things They Carried ‚ the characters themselves probably could not tell you why they carried many of the things they did. The things they carried can be divided into three basic groups‚ the things that everyone had to carry in order to survive‚ the things that individuals chose to carry‚ and the mental burdens that many carried without choice. The necessities that the men were forced to carry were‚ for example‚ P- 38 can openers‚ pocket knives‚ matches
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slang‚ O’Brien doesn’t make the conversation sound formal. He avoids making the conversation sound scripted. Journal Entry #18 A.) Simile‚ page 151. “Her eyes were as fluffy and airy-light as cotton candy.” B.) A simile is a comparison of two things using the words ‘as’ and ‘like.’ Here‚ the author is comparing the appearance of cotton candy and eyes. C.) O’Brien compares the fluffiness and airy-light appearance of cotton candy to the subject’s eyes. By doing so‚ he illustrates to his audience
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In The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien‚ O’Brien describes his personal experience in the Vietnam War. His experiences reflect many of his characters personal experiences. For the Vietnam War was one of the most gruesome wars ever fought by American Troops since the Civil War. Many of the long term effects of the war are still felt by are soldiers today. “They carried the soldier’s greatest fear‚ which was the fear of blushing. Men killed‚ and died‚ because they were embarrassed not to. It was
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Jeff Jackson Instructor Barbara Manuel English 112 3 March 2013 Shell Shock: A Bloodless Battlefield A storyteller of war‚ Tim O’Brien‚ author of The Things They Carried‚ keeps the reader mesmerized with PTSD stories of the Vietnam War. This novel represents a compound documentary written on accounts of the Vietnam War. Many of the stories in this book encompass various examples of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. There are graphical depictions
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Literary Analysis of “The Things That They Carried” In the short story “The Things That They Carried” Tim O’Brien uses the literary elements of characterization‚ setting and foreshadowing to support the theme of physical and mental burdens put on soldiers during the Vietnam War. Lieutenant Jimmy Cross was never the military type. He still wonders why he joined. His rank as lieutenant seems unreal. He never truly demonstrates leadership and separates himself from the rest of the Alpha Company as
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