The Things They Carried in “The Things They Carried‚” by Tim O’Brien In “The Things They Carried‚” by Tim O’Brien the theme of “carrying” both physical and emotional objects by the main characters can be found in the novel. While these men carry the same standard physical army gear‚ they differentiate with personal tangible and intangible items. From Lieutenant Cross’s responsibility of his men‚ to Henry Dobbin’s girlfriend’s pantyhose for its magic‚ each man faced the war with these things attached
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mutual. The narrator then starts to explain the things the men carry. Most are things that would be needed for survival during a war‚ like compasses‚ raincoats‚ mosquito spray‚ and tents. Others are things the men have an emotional connection to like‚ a girlfriends panty hose and a bible. But all men carry burdens‚ memories‚ and one another. One day while the men are on a mission a soldier named lavender is shot. The men almost make a joke of his death and some are shocked at how lightly they are taking
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Cassandra Reed S. Matthews Comp II 3 March 2014 The Things They Carried The Things They Carried by Tim O’ Brien is a collection of twenty-two short stories about the mental and physical endeavors that the American soldiers in the Vietnam War that comes together in one short novel. In this collection O’ Brien often blurs the lines between fiction and reality in order to push the reader to sympathize with the soldiers as they carry guilt‚ shame‚ cowardice‚ malice‚ and confusion. Many of the
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The Things They Carried Report “The Things They Carried” was a story about soldiers caught in the confusion of the Vietnam War. There are a lot of apparent themes that are dealt with when writing a story about war‚ especially about death. I enjoyed reading this story; however there were some things about it that I was concerned about. I would like to discuss the author’s style of writing‚ his meaning of the title “The Things They Carried” and the way the author and his characters deal with death
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Leonard Cheah 814725425 “Material Allies” In the short story The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien‚ First Lieutenant Jimmy Cross leads a band of his men through the hills and swamps of Vietnam while dealing with the psychological agony of both his love for Martha and the safety of his men. In wartime however‚ it is known that your fellow man is anything from safe. Much of the men have camaraderie‚ but know that at any moment the person sitting next to them could be killed. This is where the
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Nick Grainger Eng 112 March 16‚ 2004 The Things They Carried Tim O’Brien was an infantryman in during Vietnam War. He used those experiences to write many short stories including The Things They Carried. The story portrays how‚ "the things they carried" were weightless in comparison to their feelings of love and loss‚ fear and shame‚ and the torturous memories of death. "They all carried emotional baggage of men who might die. Grief‚ terror‚ love‚ longing- these were intangibles‚ but the intangibles
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The Things They Carried: Burden and Redemption In the fictional novel The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien‚ scenes regarding the death of a comrade or an enemy soldier seem to convey and accentuate two unifying themes: redemption and encumbrance. While some characters‚ such as “the young soldier” who is evidently O’Brien‚ endeavor to find some sort of closure and salvation‚ others‚ including Lieutenant Jimmy Cross‚ blame themselves for the demise of their comrade-at-arms and cannot relieve themselves
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In Tim O ’Brian ’s "The Things They Carried‚" Lieutenant Jimmy Cross ’s obsession with Martha causes the death of Ted Lavender‚ an officer under his charge. The Lieutenant ’s mind was constantly distracted from the war by his thoughts of Martha. Jimmy has an obsession with her; he wants to know everything that goes on with her‚ and even around her. The Lieutenant has deep desires for her‚ but he pictures her the way her wants her to be. Daydreaming about Martha‚ instead of watching his surroundings
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Robert LaMache Professor Story 3 December 2012 ENG112-R1 “The Things They Carried” Throughout author Tim O’Brien’s “The Things They Carried”‚ one sees how tangible items help the soldiers cope with the horrors of war. The short story is set during the Vietnam War and follows the lives of the Alpha Company‚ a group of U.S soldiers. Some soldiers in the story are given items to carry specific to their job and rank in the military. For example the main character‚ First Lieutenant Jimmy Cross
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Spring Book Review In The Things They Carried‚ Tim O’Brien tells the tale of not about war‚ but rather about war’s effect on one’s mentality. Ultimately‚ this novel is built on a foundation of the items that the soldiers of the Vietnam War carried. Whether it was the way Jimmy Cross uses the pebble to escape from his duties as a soldier or when Norman Bowker realizes that courage comes form within‚ not from receiving a Silver Star; O’Brien uses baggage as a symbol throughout the book to teach
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