Adventurous Journey In Tim O Brien's The Things They Carried

Have you ever pack to make a long trip to fight for the beliefs of your country? If you have not, the short story, The Things They Carried, will take you into an adventurous journey. Tim O’ Brien describes the story of a platoon led by Lieutenant Jimmy Cross. The items soldiers carried were described as tangible and intangible. There are physical and emotional loads in which every ounce is considered. They walked with the burden to stay alive. Having to stay in a deserted land and away from tranquility awakens their fear that will stay active for the reminding of their journey. Ultimately, the main objective of this text is to revive and embody the experiences encountered while fighting during the Vietnam War. Therefore, in the story, the author

He is mentioned among the lines as someone “who was scared, carried tranquilizers until he was shot in the head” (2). Fear is a constant emotion within the troop that increases with the death of Ted Lavender. The image of being shot in the head represents the horror that is among them. Also, going into a dark and deep hole and not knowing if one will be back or not, acknowledges the reality they are in. Later in the story, Lieutenant regrets the death of Lavender as “He felt shame. He hated himself” (16). One emotion after another one. The agony and the things they carried get heavier and heavier as the story progresses since Lieutenant recognizes that “… he would have to carry like a stone in his stomach for the rest of the war” (16); a stone that symbolizes the emotional burden but can also be a physical load. Life is not different. Age progresses with a risk. Human are not immortal gods. We are vulnerable to the dangers of the outside and we are the pray of even the smallest virus in earth. A disease or a traumatic event can be the thing we carry. It is a condition that is heavy emotionally and physically. A stone in the body can be a buildup of calcium in a duct that obstructs fluid. This leads to emotional disturbances such as lack of sleep or loss of appetite. It is a path where humans cannot rest and must continue to walk with or without the emotional support. This physical thing we carry can be constant and permanent. As we age, we become more vulnerable to these diseases, challenging the smooth path we would all like to have to walk through. Furthermore, an illness does not only the result in physical changes but emotional challenges must be addressed as well. A stone affecting the anatomy of a human being also affect the cortex of the brain. Electrical signals traveling to the cortex of the brain cause unpleasant emotions. These changes the mood of the ill. Reality turns from positive to negative.