The Things They Carries

Thesis Statement: In “The Things They Carried”, Lieutenant Jimmy Cross is torn between being a good leader and his love for Martha, thus making him a truly dynamic character. I. No matter how hard Lieutenant Cross tries to be a good leader, he cannot stop himself from fantasizing about Martha. a. The hardest thing that the Lieutenant carries is his emotional attachment to Martha. b. Throughout the entire story, Lieutenant Jimmy Cross is struggling to stop thinking about Martha and start being a better leader to his men. c. Although it is difficult, the death of one of his men does guilt Cross into becoming a better Lieutenant. II. Out of all the things he carries, Cross’s emotional baggage for Martha is the heaviest of all. d. It distracts him from his job. e. It is unhealthy. His love for Martha is almost an obsession. 1. Martha does not feel the same way. 2. Lieutenant Cross knows Martha does not love him, but he cannot stop loving her. III. Throughout the entire story Cross is torn between Martha and his men. f. He thinks about her when he should be focused on the war. g. Even when his men are on dangerous missions, Cross is thinking about Martha. 3. Lee Strunk is investigating a tunnel. 4. Even though his man is in danger, Cross is daydreaming of Martha. IV. Lieutenant Cross is so wrapped up in his fantasies; it takes the death of one of his men to snap him out of it. h. He blames himself for his man getting shot. i. Afterwards, he finally burns all of Martha’s letters and concentrates on the war. V. Lieutenant Jimmy Cross is a character of many sides. j. Loves Martha more than his men. k. Wants to stop loving Martha so much and start being a better leader.

Good Leader or Love?
In “The Things They Carried”, Lieutenant Jimmy Cross is torn between being a good leader and his love for Martha, thus making him a truly dynamic

Cited: Roberts, Edgar V. Literature: An Introduction to Reading and Writing. New York: Longman, 2009.