Tim O’Brien’s The Things They Carried is not a novel about the Vietnam War. It is a story about the soldiers and their experiences and emotions that are brought about from the war. O’Brien makes several statements about war through these dynamic characters. He shows the violent nature of soldiers under the pressures of war‚ he makes an effective antiwar statement‚ and he comments on the reversal of a social deviation into the norm. By skillfully employing the stylistic technique of specific
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On The Things They Carried Among all of the books I have read‚ and I have read a lot of books‚ I believe this one is the most intriguing when it comes to composition. Tim O’Brien‚ the author‚ has done what is rare in literature and composed a fictionalized autobiography. He brings together thoughts‚ ideas‚ emotions‚ and reality in order to create his own safe and satisfying reality. He tackles reader and author’s perspective and creates a work that deserves to be what The Milwaukee Journal calls
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about yourself.” In the quote moore describes the power that storytelling has on people. He explains to us that just because there is lies in the story‚ that doesn’t mean that we cannot take something away from it. Similarly in the novel‚ The Things They Carried‚ the author‚ Tim O’Brien‚ uses stories to tell us about his time serving in the war in Vietnam. And even though most of these stories are not entirely true‚ that does not mean we cannot learn from them. Storytelling is a tool that allows soldiers
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The truth is only believable if it is made up. The Things They Carried is an intriguing novel that stands out from many others in its genre. The author‚ Tim O’Brien‚ believes that story truth is truer than happening truth. This idea is prevalent throughout the novel‚ especially in the chapter called‚ “The Man I Killed.” Tim O’Brien explains his reasoning behind telling “The Man I Killed” the way he did in “Good Form” saying that “. . . a long time ago I walked through Quang Ngai Province as a foot
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When I first started reading Tim O’Brien’s the things they carried his depth of description entertained me. After reading each paragraph I was able to visualize what I had read. I could see each soldier loaded down with all the necessities they felt they needed. I was introduced to each soldier by the things they carried with them‚ from village to village across Vietnam‚ during the war. Some of the items seemed frivolous‚ such as scarves and comic books‚ but I could see how it helped them cope with
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Kiowa Kiowa is a very unique character in the book The Things They Carried he seems to be the "ideal" soldier. He is very full of life and caring. Even in horrible situations‚ he knows the right things to say. For example in the chapter "The Man I Killed" Kiowa knows just what to say to O’Brien while he is in shock after killing a young man. "All right let me ask a question You want to trade places with him." Turn it all upside down- you want that. I mean‚ be honest." p 126 Unlike Azar
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therefore‚ construction of a new morality is inescapable. Within the stories in The Things They Carried‚ soldiers are required to do so during and after the Vietnam War. War breeds monstrosities and wanton cruelty. When faced with two evils‚ picking the lesser immoral option is not necessarily something to be frowned upon. This is what separates a soldier’s morality and a civilian’s morality. Civilians see things through a black-and-white perspective; fundamental standards that must be obeyed to
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events of violence or gore‚ but‚ rather‚ one that extracts the raw emotions of all who were involved. The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien achieves this perfect balance between truth‚ empathy‚ and fiction. American author‚ Elliot Ackerman‚ shares that different experiences or events can encapsulate “the war in miniature”. Composed of short stories‚ each chapter in The Things They Carried could be interpreted as an example of “the war in miniature”. However‚ the chapter that most eloquently encompasses
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Journal Entry 2 The short story‚ “The Things They Carried”‚ by Tim O’brien‚ was my favorite reading of this week. The author states what the company is carrying‚ as well as emotional burdens that they carry. I think that theme of this story can be summarized as “Don’t judge a book by its cover”. As I stated in the discussion‚ I think this story makes a profound point about trauma and emotional stress. Physical burdens are easily observable. For example‚ when people see someone in a wheelchair their
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Exercise 1 The Things They Carried EXCERPT ① 1. How is the term common secret typical of the phrasing of this whole passage? How is run or freeze or hide also typical of the excerpt’s phrasing? In which sentences does O’Brien’s phrasing seem especially clear‚ direct‚ and simple‚ and why is such phrasing so effective? How would you describe the tone of this passage? How might the tone easily have been quite different? For instance‚ how could it have been highly emotional and melodramatic? Why
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