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Stereotypes In The Things They Carried

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Stereotypes In The Things They Carried
Focusing on physical weight of the burdens that the soldiers carry, O’Brien leaves their emotional burdens unaddressed and submerged in the subtext; the subtext reveals the incredibly burdensome weight of societal expectations and gender norms that these men face. The stereotypical manly behavior of the characters clashes with their true morals and conscience. O’Brien suggests that by imitating the stereotypes associated with manhood the boys prohibit themselves from maturing into rational adults.
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