The Things They Carried
Nikita Keenan
7/14/12
Throughout Tim O’Brien’s novel, The Things They Carried, the persona of the author often serves as a medium between the translation of emotion felt by characters in the story to the reader of the book. By developing fictitious versions of events that transpired while serving in the Vietnam War, O’Brien’s character is able to revive memories from the past as well as spark feelings of understanding and empathy in others. Surprisingly, the tone of the narrator rarely peals away from being passive and humorous, despite the tragic scenes that unfold within the story. Feelings of sorrow and regret intertwine passages in the novel but are never directly addressed, thus, the author’s character seems to be reserved about certain emotions concerning his childhood, the war, and adulthood. Due to these traits in the style of writing, O’Brien conveys emotions of acceptance in the turns that his life has made and his feeling of remembrance. The tales written in the book instill the idea that everybody is hung up on how important parts of life get taken from us sooner or later. Instead of grieving, remembering what those people or things meant to you when they were here lets the good memories live with you forever. One passage that greatly supports this idea is found in the final pages of the book (p.232) when the author’s character shares his memory of a reoccurring dream that he had after his first love, Linda, passed away. O’Brien states how he’d imagine spending time with her and they would talk about things in his dreams while visiting familiar places such as an ice skating rink. The passage is presented in a matter-of-fact way as the author lists his thoughts bluntly, yet, each sentence draws the reader closer to the moral of the story and concurrently draws the reader away to reflect on memories of their own. O’Brien uses this technique in tone from start to finish and also implements several other methods along the way. The writing reaches out
7/14/12
Throughout Tim O’Brien’s novel, The Things They Carried, the persona of the author often serves as a medium between the translation of emotion felt by characters in the story to the reader of the book. By developing fictitious versions of events that transpired while serving in the Vietnam War, O’Brien’s character is able to revive memories from the past as well as spark feelings of understanding and empathy in others. Surprisingly, the tone of the narrator rarely peals away from being passive and humorous, despite the tragic scenes that unfold within the story. Feelings of sorrow and regret intertwine passages in the novel but are never directly addressed, thus, the author’s character seems to be reserved about certain emotions concerning his childhood, the war, and adulthood. Due to these traits in the style of writing, O’Brien conveys emotions of acceptance in the turns that his life has made and his feeling of remembrance. The tales written in the book instill the idea that everybody is hung up on how important parts of life get taken from us sooner or later. Instead of grieving, remembering what those people or things meant to you when they were here lets the good memories live with you forever. One passage that greatly supports this idea is found in the final pages of the book (p.232) when the author’s character shares his memory of a reoccurring dream that he had after his first love, Linda, passed away. O’Brien states how he’d imagine spending time with her and they would talk about things in his dreams while visiting familiar places such as an ice skating rink. The passage is presented in a matter-of-fact way as the author lists his thoughts bluntly, yet, each sentence draws the reader closer to the moral of the story and concurrently draws the reader away to reflect on memories of their own. O’Brien uses this technique in tone from start to finish and also implements several other methods along the way. The writing reaches out