Response to “The Things They Carried” Julianne Goldammer The characters of the story “The Things They Carried” mainly were inflicted with two kinds of weights: physical and emotional burden. In the first chapter‚ Tim O’ Brien sets up his storytelling by writing long lists of the things the soldiers were carrying in the War in Vietnam. Beyond the basic gears of war‚ he goes on mentioning the personal luggage that varied from person to person‚ mostly depending on their necessity‚ helping the reader
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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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Bravery in The Things They Carried “Success is not final‚ failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” - Winston Churchill (Churchill) Without being courageous‚ you cannot be brave. According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary‚ courage is “a mental or moral strength to venture‚ preserve‚ and withstand danger‚ fear‚ or difficulty.” Everyday people show bravery. Every great thing we set out to do‚ whether its raise children‚ start a business‚ study for a degree‚ or change the world
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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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The Things They Carried was highly symbolic. The items that the men within the platoon had carried symbolized home and comfort. Each man had a unique item with them in the war that provided them with comfort and reassurance. These physical items carried the men through all of the hardships they endured by giving them a peace of mind and hope of returning to their former lives. From carrying a condom‚ a comic book‚ ammunition‚ the bible‚ photographs‚ and many other little material things‚ these
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A. Park The Things They Carried The symbols in Tim O’Brien’s “The Things They Carried” are essential to understanding the soldiers and their lives during the Vietnam War. At the opening of the story‚ Lieutenant Jimmy Cross would dig into his foxhole and read the letters while imagining romance with Martha; however‚ at the end of the story after the death of Ted Lavender‚ he “crouched at the bottom of his foxhole and burned Martha’s letters” (402). The inner feelings of Cross would be mistakenly
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THE MEANING OF THE TITLE “THE THINGS THEY CARRIED” “The Things They Carried “simply emphasize that what the person may carry depends on the personality of the person.May it be for his necessity or passion he may carry the weight voluntarily or mandatory.Literally‚ the things the soldiers carried are‚ may be tangible or intangible.Tangible things such as P- 38 can openers‚ pocket knives‚heat tabs‚ dog tags‚ mosquito repellent‚wrist watches‚ chewing gum‚ candy‚cigarettes‚salt tablets‚ packets of
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The Things They Carried‚ more like the things that I will carry forever‚ if there is any book I would say is the worst‚ is this book. BUT‚ it’s bad for all the GOOD reasons. I’ve read other war books that are good and EASY in making me put myself in the main characters position‚ but this book is definitely the opposite. Author Tim O’Brien continuously purposefully betrays his audience in order to construct a ‘truthful’ war story that makes the readers WISH to be in the characters position‚ not because
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of a communist government from taking over south Vietnam. This was known as a “containment war”. They wanted to fight this war to stop the spread of communism. The war started in 1955 and lasted until the fall of Saigon in April 1975. The Things They Carried tells the stories from soldiers point of view and others experiences. Tim O’Brien‚ Jimmy Cross‚ and Kiowa were just a few of the men that were in the Alpha company. O’Brien‚ Tim‚ and Kiowa had some very cowardice and very courageous moments
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Meaning of the Things They Carried Tim O’Brien is a veteran of the Vietnam War and he fought with the United States in that controversial war. Tim O’Brien was drafted into the Vietnam War in 1968. He served as an infantryman‚ and obtained the rank of sergeant and won a Purple Heart after being wounded by shrapnel. He was discharged from the Vietnam War in 1970. I believe that O’Brien’s own past experiences he encountered in the Vietnam War gave him inspiration to write “The Things They Carried.” In the
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