Carrying Humanity Analysis

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Carrying Humanity
In Tim O’Brien’s story, The Things They Carried, the reader feels a sense of brotherhood within the young soldiers as they trek through the desolate and unforgiving jungle of Vietnam. “The Things They Carried” describes material things carried by soldiers as well as the burdens that weigh heavily on their hearts and minds, and much like war, the reader is left feeling immersed in a chaotic war environment because of the changing points of views used in the story to fully cover the platoon on their journey.
Enduring with harsh weather and the constant paranoia of enemy fire and enemy attacks, the troops physically prepared push through to meet their scheduled locations for drop off, always sticking to orders and protocol. …show more content…

The author indicates to the reader that the platoon of soldiers in the story is prepared with their necessities for their mission. However one thing O’Brien leaves the reader to conclude is the one things the soldiers needed was going to be serious psychological help due to the impression war can leave on any person, let alone young men who long to be living their lives back at home. The mental torment, the wild isolation in the jungle, being under stressful conditions, and the death of Ted Lavender prove to be overwhelming to many in the platoon including Lieutenant Jimmy Cross.
The plot in this story is enhanced further by the descriptions of each of the characters. O’Brien’s descriptions of the characters illustrate to the reader the personal struggles which consumes each soldier and how it ultimately leads the Lieutenant to blame himself for the death of Ted Lavender. If it weren’t for the descriptive insight into each of the soldiers and the things each one of them carried, the reader would not be able to feel the emotions of self-blame or guilt the Lieutenant felt for being so consumed by his infatuation with his college

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