The Things They Carried by Tim OBrien
narrative Essay
2258 words
the things they carried truth
The definition of truth is the epitome of what we we all perceive to be reality. Truth is what we sometimes think about in the back of our head, but we are unsure of whether this truth is really “true.” The objective correlative is another term that is used to refer to truth. The objective correlative is getting enough people to feel the same emotion and agree upon it. Objective correlative also refers to the objective truth or the facts. It’s trying to get the subjective truth to become objective, then subjective for each person. The idea of objectivity is that it is concrete, measurable, and tested. This idea of objectivity relates to the characteristics of what facts are.
Throughout this honors ignition seminar, I have come to distinguish between two very useful, and powerful words: subjective truth and objective fact. Subjective truth, as I understand, is truth. The only difference separating it from universal or general truth is “subjective.” Our understanding of truth can cause arguments when trying to distinguish what is universally true. My definition of subjective truth, not necessarily perceived as true to others, is that the truth of something that happened may not be what actually happened to you, but what you felt happened to you. Objective fact, however, are based on facts that cannot be denied. They are legitimate, universal facts that everyone takes as true, but each may have a different interpretation of it. The main differences between subjective truth and objective fact is that subjective truth expresses one's own experience when understand the objective fact. Subjective truth has no correct definition, but I define it as: Subjective truth deals with subjectivity. Something th...
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...ing the Vietnam War." Ending the Vietnam War. U.S. Department of State, n.d. Web. 20 Mar. 2014. .
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O'Brien, Tim. The Things They Carried. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1990. Print.
"Overview of the Vietnam War." Digital History. Digital History, n.d. Web. 20 Mar. 2014. .
In this essay, the author
- Explains cnn library's "vietnam war fast facts." cnn. cable news network, 01 july 2013.
- Describes the u.s. department of state's "ending the vietnam war."
- Describes the vietnam war's "overview." digital history, n.d.
- Distinguishes between subjective truth and objective fact in the honors ignition seminar.
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- ...yndon Johnson’s War: America’s Cold War Crusade in Vietnam 1945-1968 / Where the Domino Fell: America and Vietnam, 1945 to 1995. Second Edition.” The Journal of American History 84.4 (1998): 1464-7. ProQuest. Web. 11 Sep. 2013.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how lyndon johnson failed to learn anything from the vietnam war protests, and dealt with the opposition movement poorly.
- Narrates how lyndon johnson envisioned using the power of the nation's highest office to enact his idea of a 'great society', free of discrimination, poverty, and inequality.
- Explains that johnson was the one to sign the civil rights act of 1964. kennedy did the majority of work fighting for the bill and building support for its passage.
- Explains that johnson worked since he was a congressman in efforts to help those who needed it. he continued this fight for the disadvantaged in actions like the economic opportunity act of 1964, and medicare and medicaid in 1965.
- Analyzes how the war in vietnam took a backseat to johnson's efforts to end poverty, inequality, and other prevalent problems in the united states.
- States vanden heuvel, william. franklin delano roosevelt and lyndon baines johnson: architects of a nation.
- Analyzes how the vietnam war dominated lyndon johnson's presidency and dictated his public view at the time.
- Analyzes how lyndon johnson's admiration for fdr and the new deal led to a close relationship with the president.
- Explains ambrose, stephon, and douglas brinkley's witness to america. churchill, vada. "the courage to confess: why was the vietnam war doomed to fail?" the montreal review.
- Cites luu, doan huyuh, and schlesinger, arthur, jr.
2012 wordsRead More - The Vietnam War: A Concise International History is a strong book that portrays a vivid picture of both sides of the war. By getting access to new information and using valid sources, Lawrence’s study deserves credibility. After reading this book, a new light and understanding of the Vietnam war exists.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how mark atwood lawrence's the vietnam war: a concise international history shows an international affair involving many nations and how the conflict progressed throughout its rather large existence.
- Analyzes how lawrence's purpose in writing this book was concise and to the point. it places the war within the long flow of vietnamese history and captures the goals and experiences of various governments.
- Analyzes how mark atwood lawrence uses primary sources to enhance the credibility of his study and the overall experience of the vietnam war: a concise international history.
- Analyzes the strengths and weaknesses of lawrence's book, the vietnam war: a concise international history.
1155 wordsRead More - The Heroes of Tim O'Brien's The Things They Carriedanalytical essayThe word "hero" is so often used to describe people who overcome great difficulties and rise to the challenge that is set before them without even considering the overwhelming odds they are up against. In our culture, heroes are glorified in literature and in the media in various shapes and forms. However, I believe that many of the greatest heroes in our society never receive the credit that they deserve, much less fame or publicity. I believe that a hero is simply someone who stands up for what he/she believes in. A person does not have to rush into a burning building and save someone's life to be a hero. Someone who is a true friend can be a hero. A hero is someone who makes a difference in the lives of others simply by his/her presence. In Tim O'Brien's novel, The Things They Carried, the true heroes stand out in my mind as those who were true friends and fought for what they believed in. These men and women faced the atrocities of war on a daily basis, as explained by critic David R. Jarraway's essay, "'Excremental Assault' in Tim O'Brien: Trauma and Recovery in Vietnam War Literature" and by Vietnam Veteran Jim Carter. Yet these characters became heroes not by going to drastic measures to do something that would draw attention to themselves, but by being true to their own beliefs and by making a difference to the people around them.
In this essay, the author
- Opines that a hero is simply someone who stands up for what he/she believes in. in tim o'brien's novel, the things they carried, the true heroes stood out as those who were true friends and fought for their beliefs.
- Analyzes how elroy berdahl in o'brien's novel, "on the rainy river," is a hero because he gives him time to think.
- Analyzes how berdahl takes o'brien on the rainy river where he sees the canadian border, which represents freedom from the draft. he doesn't ridicule him or attempt to persuade him to make any decisions.
- Analyzes how jarraway comments upon o'brien's colorful symbolism in which he uses human waste to represent the "larger waste that is war."
- Opines that monsignor michael reagan is one of their greatest heroes because of his incredible ability to make a difference by his presence.
- Cites jarraway, david r., "'excremental assault'" in tim o'brien: trauma and recovery in vietnam war literature.
- Analyzes how o'brien refuses to shake hands with a dead corpse in "the lives of the dead." kiowa admires him for standing up for his beliefs.
- Analyzes how o'brien's 'excremental assault' helped talk about war, memory, and storytelling.
1963 wordsRead More - Herring, George C. America’s Longest War: the United States and Vietnam, 1950-1975 4th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1996.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that daniel ellsberg's perceptions of his country and its role in the world were profoundly shaped by world war ii and the resulting cold war against communism.
- Analyzes how ellsberg realized that poor decisions were often the result of the president ignoring the advice of his advisors. the institutionalized balance of power and responsibility made questioning the assumptions of one's predecessors a risky venture.
- Analyzes how o'brien's conflicting accounts of how kiowa, a young combat soldier, died metaphorically demonstrates the confusion of war.
- Analyzes how o'brien reveals the confusion and distortion of any war experience, yet he also explains why the vietnam war, in particular, was even worse.
- Analyzes how o'brien's example of the baby vietcong water buffalo illustrates the frustration and meaninglessness that soldiers felt during the vietnam war.
- Analyzes how daniel ellsberg and the things they carried illustrate the way vietnam forced americans to re-assess their earlier notions.
- Describes schrag's book, "test of loyalty: daniel ellsberg and the rituals of the secret government".
- Analyzes how daniel ellsberg's intellectual conversion led to confusion, purposelessness, and futility for those who served in the vietnam war.
- Analyzes how the cultural climate of the "age of consensus" shaped ellsberg's perceptions about the vietnam war before 1967.
- Analyzes how the mcnamara study enabled ellsberg to see the immense power and responsibility of the executive.
- Explains that herring, george c. america's longest war: the united states and vietnam, 1950-1975. hodgson, godfrey. the ideology of the liberal consensus.
3523 wordsRead More - Good Morning, Vietnam: Not Historically Accurateanalytical essayHistory.com staff, . "History.com." Vietnam War History. A E Networks, n.d. Web. 13 Feb 2014. .
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how cronauer's radio show inspired the movie good morning, vietnam, which was the longest war the united states has participated in.
- Narrates how cronauer, played by robin williams, is a talented radio disk jockey. he is popular with listeners and other radio djs.
- Narrates how cronauer refuses to come back to the station to do his show. dickerson threatens him to resign because of his relationship with tuan.
- Explains that cronauer didn't always obey this rule and played music that was not authorized by the censor. the beatles, the beach boys, elvis presley, and the rolling stones helped people through this rough time.
- Analyzes how the movie depicts the traditional military during the war and music representing peace and prosperity, but it is not a correct portrayal of the actual war.
- Explains that the vietnam war was the longest war the united states has fought in and the most disfavored one.
- Narrates how fellers, carla a., and hopkins, alexander e. "what a wonderful world": the rhetoric of the official and the unofficial in good morning, vietnam."
1250 wordsRead More - Containment As U.S. Policy During Cold War Eraanalytical essayLeCain, Timothy J. "Lecture 9: Vietnam and the 1960s" , Montana State University, Bozeman, 7, 9, 14 and 16 November 2006.
In this essay, the author
- Argues that the united states' foreign policy was based on cold war ideology and the policy of containment, to prevent nations from leaning towards soviet union-based communism.
- Explains that the fear of communism first emerged after the soviet revolution in 1917 during the first red scare in the 1920s.
- Analyzes how the truman doctrine and the policy of containment painted a black-white picture of the world.
- Explains that president truman believes stalin ordered the invasion and orders in american troops. the war went well until november 1950 when china began pouring troops into north korea.
- Analyzes how senator mccarthy attacked president truman, calling him "a son of a bitch" and referring to roosevelt's democratic administrations as "twenty years' treason." dwight d. eisenhower was elected president in 1952.
- Explains that eisenhower was a moderate republican, but he wanted to reduce the budget. the change of leadership in washington and moscow made winston churchill advocate an summit between the superpowers.
- Analyzes how kennedy was a cold war warrior and determined to stand up against khrushchev when the soviet union backed down.
- Explains that kennedy had inherited a situation in vietnam from eisenhower. after the geneva accords in 1954, vietnam was divided and ngo dinh diem came to power in the south.
- Concludes that president truman introduced the policy of containment in his 1947 speech, committing the united states to anti-communist causes, but the realpolitik of george kennan was overlooked.
- Reviews maier, pauline, roe smith, merritt, keyssar, alexander, kevles, daniel j., "inventing america", second edition, volume 2: from 1865, new york & london, w.
- Explains lecain, timothy j., "lecture 3: roots of ww iii", montana state university, bozeman, 12 and 14 september 2006.
- States that lecain, timothy j., "lecture 4: cold war through korea", montana state university, bozeman, 19 and 21 september 2006.
- Explains that lecain, timothy j., "lecture 9: vietnam and the 1960s," montana state university, bozeman, 7, 9, 14 and 16 november 2006.
1846 wordsRead More - The Vietnam War was an extremely controversial war that took the lives of many Americans and resulted in America’s first losing campaign. The U.S. was involved in Vietnam since World War II supporting Ho Chi Minh and his Communist forces against Japanese occupation. After the result of an incident involving two US vessels, President Lynden Johnson ordered jets to bom...
In this essay, the author
- Imagines playing in the ncaa national championship game in front of 50,000 people and millions of others watching via their televisions at home. after an intensely fought game the final score indicates that a loss was suffered
- Analyzes how america's relationship with returning soldiers from the vietnam war had a negative aura that is still shown over 30 years later. vietnam veterans in america suffered from social, physical, and psychological problems.
- Describes the vietnam war as an extremely controversial war that took the lives of many americans and resulted in america’s first losing campaign.
- Narrates how a division amongst society quickly became apparent in those against the war and those for or fighting in vietnam.
- Explains that the tally of american lives taken by the war exceeded 50,000 people, and society wondered if the american government was trying to end communism or just to increase economic profits from the vietnamese.
- Explains that anti-war activists voiced their opinions stronger than ever after the troops' retreated from vietnam which made for a negative homecoming.
- Explains that many vietnam veterans returning to america felt shunned by the "new" american society. they are scattered throughout the hills and jungles of hawaii and the pacific northwest.
- Explains that of the 3.5 million veterans in the us, 479,000 cases are serious and another 350,000 have moderate symptoms. suicide amongst vietnam veterans is also apparent.
- Opines that the vietnam war can be reflected on by those in generation-x through hear-say, reading, and movies, but one will never fully understand the true feelings between the veterans and society in america.
1591 wordsRead More - Opposing the Vietnam Waropinion essayanniversary of end of Vietnam War - Brief Article” BNET.com June 2000 Web. 29 Mar. 2010.
In this essay, the author
- Opines that america looks worse to the rest of the world.
- Describes bnet.com's june 2000, web. 29 mar. 2010, anniversary of end of vietnam war.
- Opines that if the vietnam war had never happened, america would have better relations with foreign countries. the soldiers were scarred for life because of the war.
- Explains that america interferes with other nations and butts into their situations. some people argue it is to protect the world from communism or some other form of tyranny.
- Opines that the united states should have stayed out of vietnam because it wasn't necessary to enter. america entered the war to stop the spread of totalitarian expansion.
- Explains that the u.s military troops had a hard time finding their enemy. they had to shoot women and children because they were helping.
- Analyzes how the north vietnamese army had a major advantage over the u.s.
- Explains that the american leader believed that it was worth the cost to stop the spread of communism.
- Opines that the sacrifice of thousands of lives was worth it to fight a war that didn't solve anything.
- Explains that america was boasting in glory and power before the war started. they were overconfident that they would win the vietnam war, but the soldiers began to doubt their purpose.
- Argues that many critics argue that we helped to slow communism down.
- Explains the domino effect, but communism only exists in a few countries. americans seem to be afraid of anything that is different.
1014 wordsRead More - (1) Robert D. Schulzinger, A Time for War: The United States and Vietnam, 1941-1975 (Oxford University Press 1997), 145-146.
In this essay, the author
- Cites edwin e. mose's tonkin gulf and the escalation of the vietnam war.
- Cites joseph c. goulden's book, truth is the first casualty: the gulf of tonkin affair, illusion and reality.
- Analyzes how president johnson's advocacy of the tonkin gulf resolution influenced congress to unintentionally give him a blank check in conducting the vietnam war.
- Cites robert d. schulzinger, david l. anderson, and fredrik logevall.
1488 wordsRead More - The Death of Communismanalytical essay"Vietnam War," MicrosoftÆ EncartaÆ 96 Encyclopedia. (c) 1993-1995 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. (c) Funk & Wagnalls Corporation. All rights reserved.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that the united states longest and bloodiest war was the vietnam war, which was fought from 1959 until 1975. the domino theory stated that if the u.s. allowed one country to fall to communism, those around it would fall.
- Explains that the communist manifesto has three sections: an outline of the bourgeois and the proletariat's history, the framework of communist goals, and their long-range plan to abolish private property.
- Analyzes how the bourgeois marx speaks of in the manifesto is simply the capitalist of the time.
- Explains that the second section of the communist manifesto clarifies the aims of communist.
- Analyzes how marx attacks various countries attempts at socialism and proclaims that communist "disdain to conceal their aims."
- Explains that the communist manifesto was written in a time when people were beginning to realize all the injustices the industrial revolution and modern industry had created.
- Analyzes how marx describes the rise of the bourgeois by saying "the place of manufacture was taken by the giant, modern industry," but this leader has disappeared in our world today.
- Opines that communism no longer can be applied to modern societies and the vietnam war rages on.
- Cites karl marx and frederick engels' "the communist manifesto" from microsoft encarta 96 encyclopedia.
820 wordsRead More - People Coping With Objectivityexplanatory essayIn reading this paper there are many terms to be familiar with. The terms “objectivity” and “subjectivity,” relate to a perceiving subject (normally a person) and a perceived or unperceived object. The object presumably exists independent of the subjects perception of it. For example, the object would be there, as it is, even if no subject perceived it. There for objectivity is associated with the ideas such as reality, truth and reliability. Objective reality refers to anything that exist as it is independent of any conscious awareness of it, using perception and/or thoughts.
In this essay, the author
- Describes the three sections of information regarding objectivity, including terminology, historical philosophical theories of objective reality, and a conclusion on whether one truly knows or has experienced anything objectively.
- Explains the terms "objectivity" and "subjectivity," which relate to perceiving subject and perceived or unperceived object. objectivity is associated with ideas such as reality, truth and reliability.
- Explains that objective knowledge refers to knowledge of an objective reality. it is more accurate to refer to it as objective and subjective judgments rather than knowledge.
- Explains that subjective reality is anything dependent upon some broadly constructed conscious awareness of it to exist. subjective knowledge refers to the knowledge of any subjective reality.
- Explains that agreements with objectivity happen when subjects gather their judgements or knowledge of objects and share with each other to find out their judgments are the same.
- Opines that to defend objective knowledge, it is important to see that there are "markers" of some sort in our subjective experiences distinguishing the reliable perceptions of objective truth from the illusions like hallucinations, misperceptions.
- Analyzes the positions of historical philosophers on objective reality. plato had the idea that greatest reality was not in everyday physical objects that we sense in our environment, but what he called forms.
- Explains that aristotle identifies everyday objects as the most objective reality. he called them "primary substance" and "secondary substances".
- Explains descartes' view that subjective reality is better known than objective reality. cogito, ergo sum, expresses this knowledge.
- Explains that each of us experiences life differently, but share the same existence within this dimension of reality. the virtual reality co-exists with our physical world and we form conclusions based on our past and present condition.
- Cites bowie, micheals, solomon, mulder, binswanger, and almaas.
1007 wordsRead More - Public Sentiment Regarding the Vietnam Waranalytical essayWells, Tom. The war within: America's battle over Vietnam. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 1994.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how many democrats in the legislative branch turned against johnson's war. some scholars attribute it to the growing number of antiwar constituents.
- Analyzes how the protests indicated that the u.s. was experiencing a profound degree of social unrests.
- Explains that foreign conspiracy theories were considered heavily in the johnson administration to minimize the damage from the antiwar demonstrators.
- Analyzes how the elite demographic, including doctors, lawyers, and other professionals, flooded into washington to display their opposition to the war and the increasing domestic violence.
- Analyzes how the american movement against the vietnam war was perhaps the most successful in history. the domestic antiwar sentiment played a major role in restricting, deescalating and ending the war.
- Cites kifner, john, and ernst in "the war that never ends: new perspectives on the vietnam war."
1127 wordsRead More - The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brienanalytical essayIt’s the little things, that count. Have you ever heard that expression? First Lieutenant Jimmy Cross and his men carry many things through Vietnam. In the story “The Things They Carry” by Tim O’Brien, one gets a first hand account of the things carried in war. To truly get a understanding of the guys in this story and how they coped, a truth needs to be realized; what someone carries defines who they are.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how first lieutenant jimmy cross and his men carry many things through vietnam in tim o'brien's "the things they carry." what someone carries defines who they are.
- Analyzes how the little things the soldiers carried give us insight on their true selves. jimmy carried a pebble, binoculars, codebooks, maps, and compass as he humped across vietnam.
- Describes how kiowa carried the new testament everywhere he went, a devout christian who let lose the phrase "boom down" when lavender died.
- Analyzes how kiowa's religious aspect helps to demonstrate the fragile souls around the men as well as their own soul. the contrast of good and evil are strong themes in the story.
- Analyzes how jimmy's heartfelt inner discussion of martha and his deep love for her, put his men in such danger one of them dies. good versus evil is more of a perception during war though.
- Analyzes how the message of tearing down to build again is presented in a metaphorical way in the story through jimmy.
597 wordsRead More - Definition Essay: What Is Subjective Truth?explanatory essayObjective truth is the first form which is a statement made of something that exists outside of me. This truth is a statement that is always true. When something is objectively true, it’s true whether or not we know it, like it, or believe it. The discovery and proof of 1+1=2 is true whether or not I know it, I agree with it, or believe in it. Subjective truth is the second form in which it is a statement we make about ourselves that is dependent for its validity. These statements are true for the person making the statement, even though it may not be agreed with other people around them. An example of subjective truth is a person my say, “It is freezing in here.” This may be true for the person saying it, but people around them might feel that it is hot. Christianity has always recognized that religious and moral truth belongs to objective
In this essay, the author
- Explains that truth is an ontological, which means it is proven facts that have been proven through science and reason. truth cannot be adequately explained, recognized, understood, or defined without god as the source.
- Explains that objective truth is a statement made of something that exists outside of one's self, and subjective truth, which is dependent for its validity.
- Explains there are three ways we can come to know truth: through sense experience, faith, and reason. faith is the choice to accept what god says as true.
- Opines that in order to prosper in life and be successful in everything we do, we must know truth.
- Explains that relativism is the belief that there's no absolute truth, only the truths that a particular individual or culture happen to believe.
655 wordsRead More