in The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien The narrator - Ultimately‚ The Things They Carried is more about its narrator than anybody else‚ and although it feels at times like a book about war‚ it is ultimately a book about the narrator’s coming to terms with his past. Although the narrator is frequently called "Tim‚" or "O’Brien‚" the author and the narrator are not entirely the same person. Unlike O’Brien’s work If I Die in a Combat Zone (Box Me Up and Ship Me Home)‚ The Things They Carried is deliberately
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Yalissa Kargbo Ap Literature 4/A Day Note and Notice Essay: The Things They Carried In the novel “The Things They Carried” author‚ Tim O’Brien‚ uses shifts in mood and irony to successfully exposes guilt of the items the men carried physically and emotionally which led to the fatal decisions while at war. In chapter one the narrator gives insight on a man named Jimmy Cross describes his love for a girl named Martha. Martha is a girl from New Jersey that Jimmy regrets not taking a chance
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Point of view is a very important element of literature. In the book Literature Reading‚ Reacting‚ Writing point of view is described as‚ “the vantage point from which events are presented” (Kirszner and Mandell 300). The point of view of a story is simply the view of whoever’s telling it. Kirszner and Mandell inform readers that if the narrator can enter all the characters’ minds and always knows what is going on‚ then he is omniscient (303). Kirszner and Mandell also tell readers that if a narrator
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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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The Things They Carried Theme Questions 1. What was taken from Ted Lavender after he died and why did they use it? Who was blaming himself for his death? They took his dope and smoked it. This was to help relieve the stresses of the war. Jimmy Cross held on to the guilt of letting Ted die because he was distracted from the war. 2. Many of the characters were superstitious‚ for example Dobbins wore pantyhose around his neck even after she broke up with him. How does their superstition
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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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Looking at “The Outsider”‚ it has a narrator in a First Person Point of View‚ and he is often unreliable. The narrator of “The Outsider” often shows his low level of knowledge‚ as stated in the text by H.P. Lovecraft the narrator says “From such books I learned all I know. No teacher urged or guided me‚ and I do not recall hearing any human voice in all those years - not even my own; for although I had read of speech‚ I had never thought to try to speak aloud.” This sentence he states shows us the
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In “The Things They Carried” Tim O’Brien uses fiction to create his own war story. His feelings and experiences are expressed through less than true events. Why did O’Brien feel compelled to add fiction to his story? It’s important to know that war is a very sensitive topic. He could have heard about events while he was serving that may have not affected him directly. The fact that these things may have not happened to him creates a disconnection to the audience. People aren’t entertained
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The Things They Carried Prompt: How do the symbols‚ imagery‚ and anecdotes in The Things They Carried help to contribute to the meaning of the text? The Things They Carried‚ written by Tim O’Brien‚ recounts the horrible experiences of soldiers at war in Vietnam. Throughout the novel‚ the author not only tells war stories‚ but tales about his own life‚ often referencing and dwelling on those who have made an impact on his life. He stresses the importance of these people and stories‚ often referring
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called The Things They Carried uses a lot of nonfiction stories within the novel. O’Brien also uses characterization of the soldiers in the platoon to illustrate the emotional weight that they carry. Tim O’Brien in The Things They Carried mentions‚” By and large they carried these things inside‚ maintaining the masks of composure”(21). He focuses on Jimmy Cross‚ Mark Fossie‚ Kiowa‚ Curt Lemon and several other soldiers in the platoon including himself. The novel The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien
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