War has had a big impact in history from taking land or gaining power it has always changed the way that society views the world. Some people believe having wars are good but others believe that wars are really bad. Over time soldiers have had problems when they get home sometimes having mental breakdowns. During the time in war most soldiers usually have something to do either to have fun or just take their mind off of the war. In Tim O’Brien’s story “The Things They Carried” follows a small group of men in a war that explains what personal belongings each one of them have other than what they are required to have. The story’s main theme that the characters are faced was fear witch result to them having hope and escaping from reality. During …show more content…
Ted lavender has a unique last name. Lavender is also an herb that is used to relax a person after a long stressful day. In Sandy Cullen’s article “Lavender works well in the kitchen, bathroom, bedroom and laundry room” she writes “Not only is lavender arguably the loveliest of herbs, with its delicate floral wands rising majestically above mounds of silver-gray leaves, its versatility makes it an amazing workhorse. It can clean and disinfect laundry, soothe sore muscles, ease tensions and aid relaxation (4).” Like the herd ted is said to have premium dope on him at all times. He usually uses the dope to be relaxed and get his mind cleared up from what he’s seen in the war so far. Dope much like lavender is used to get someone relaxed but as dope is much stronger he might also be using the drug to in some way escape reality at all …show more content…
Sanders is said to have been carrying condoms with him. To most soldiers it is so he can meet a girl during the war but to the general public it means something else. A condom is used for sex to protect both partners from contacting an STD. The condom in the story has to meanings one that come with sex and the other one that is protection. In a war most of the soldiers wear many things to be protected from anything that comes their way. Much like a condom Mitchell wants to be protected at all
In the story, “The Things They Carried”, author Tim O’Brien described specific items that each of his soldiers carried with them to the Vietnam War front. The items that the soldiers carried were for mental protection; they believed that the things they carried would take their minds off all the terror and violence that was going on around them. The protagonist, Lieutenant Jimmy cross, carries out letters from a girl named Martha, which leads to him losing his focus for the war and a lack of protection for his fellow soldiers. The death of Ted Lavender tested Lieutenant Cross’ loyalty to his men, his imagination of Martha, and the significance relating to each of the items the soldiers’ carry.
In the short story, “The Things They Carried” by Tim O’Brien, each soldier carries many items during times of war and strife, but each necessity differs. This short story depicts what each soldier carries mentally, physically, and emotionally on his shoulders as long, fatiguing weeks wain on during the Vietnam War. The author Tim O’Brien is a Vietnam War veteran, an author, the narrator, and a teacher. The main character, First Lieutenant Jimmy Cross is a Vietnam War soldier who is away at war fighting a mind battle about a woman he left behind in New Jersey because he is sick with love while trying to fulfill his duties as a soldier to keep America free. Tim O’Brien depicts in “The Things They Carried” a troubled man who also shoulders the
“The Things They Carried” by Tim O’Brien is a short story written about the Vietnam War. The title has two meanings. The first is their duties and equipment for the war. The second, the emotional sorrows they were put through while at war. Their wants and needs, the constant worry of death were just a few of the emotional baggage they carried. During the Vietnam War, like all wars, there were hard times. Being a soldier wasn’t easy. Soldiers always see death, whether it be another soldier or an enemy. In “The Things They Carried,” Tim O’Brien explores the motivation of solders in the Vietnam War to understand their role in combat, to stay in good health, and accept the death of a fellow soldier.
One of the main points in The Things They Carry, by Tim O’Brien, is that war changes people. This is evident in the behavior of Norman Bowker, Bob “Rat” Kiley, and the character Tim O’Brien. They each started out as kind young men but near the end had become very distraught. These men each shared many experiences but these experiences affected each one differently.
Throughout the chapter many of the soldiers like Ted Lavender, Lieutenant Jimmy Cross, Dave Jensen and Henry Dobbins all carried items that reminded them of home and kept them from panicking during the war. For Ted Lavender, who was terrified of the war, carried about six to seven ounces of drugs. He also carried tranquilizers, which kept him calm through every mission they had to do. Lavender took a tranquilizer right before he went to the restroom, on the night h...
Storytelling is one of the major themes in the book “The Things They Carried”, and is conveyed several times throughout most of the novel. The author, Tim O’Brien, uses the theme storytelling to convey his experience in VIetnam during the war. Another reason is to show what his soldiers had felt during the war, and what they experienced from their perspective. He uses many factors to convey this theme like how it has to be embarrassing and has no moral, story truth and happening truth, and he includes the stories of others. These really contribute to the theme of storytelling and why it is such a major theme for Tim O’Brien.
The Things They Carried, written by Tim O’Brien, is not just a book about what soldiers carried during the Vietnam War, but a book about what they carried with them for the rest of their lives. The book also describes the traumatizing deaths which caused many soldiers to start to blame themselves.
In Tim O’Brien’s novel, The Things They Carried, numerous themes are illustrated by the author. Through the portrayal of a number of characters, Tim O’Brien suggests that to adapt to Vietnam is not always more difficult than to revert back to the lives they once knew. Correspondingly the theme of change is omnipresent throughout the novel, specifically in the depiction of numerous characters.
In the literal sense O’Brien talks about what different members of a platoon in Vietnam carried. This helps him to move to a more symbolic sense at the end of the story. He starts by talking about necessities and slowly moves on to what they carried to remind them that there was a world out side of the war. “Among the necessities or near necessities were p-38 can openers, pocket knifes, heat tabs, wrist watches, dog tags, mosquito repellent, chewing gum, candy, cigarettes, salt tablets, packets of Kool-Aid, lighters, matches, sewing kits, Military Payment Certificates, C rations, and two or three canteens of water.” But as the story moves on it shows other things that were considered necessities to them even though to some one else they might seem a luxury. Such as Kiowa carrying his grandfather’s hatchet. These are obviously not necessities to others but were one for them. In the story the theme of weight kept coming up. Literally he meant the weight of each weapon, ration, and body armor, ECT… “it was SOP for each man to carry a steel-centered, nylon-covered flak jacket, which weight 6.7 pounds…” Weight is used in this story to help show the symbolic meaning of weight later on in the story. “What they carried varied by mission.” Knowing the different dangers throughout the land also added to their burden, making them carry even more such as mosquito netting, machetes, mine detectors, and even things that didn’t have much use such as Kiowa carrying the New Testament and Dave Jensen carrying his night-sight vitamins. All of “The Things They Carried” helped to add to the stress of the war and also help to quell it, they carried what they needed.
Jimmy Cross was one of them. As his obsession with Martha grew, he no longer had his eyes on what was important like staying alive and protecting his fellow soldiers. One day outside of the village Than Khe, in mid-April, a soldier by the name of Ted Lavender was shot in the head. Jimmy feels great guilt over Ted’s death because he is responsible for the entire team of soldiers. Due to his obsession, he ended up losing a life on his team and it was a preventable death. This put a heavy guilt on his shoulders. When Martha told him that she did not really love him, he was crushed and realized what his obsession had done to Ted and what could have happened to the rest of the
A lot of people change because of some tragic event or some mishappening in their life. They become more responsible, feel guilty and regret their behavior in the past. A friend of mine started taking care of his business after his father's death and stopped being an irresponsible jerk. He feels guilty about not having a good relation with his father. Whereas, the story "the things they carried" is about the fantasies, fears and desires and dreams of the soldiers. For instance, Ted lavender was afraid of death. Jimmy cross dreams about the girl Martha and lost his consciousness sometimes while marching and sitting. He also had some wild fantasies about her. He is a careless officer who doesn't pay any attention, no matter how hard he tries. He felt guilty about the death of his coworker Ted lavender. Ted died of a sniper shot in his head and that was the day irresponsible, daydreamer and careless jimmy changed into more responsible man focusing on war.
The Vietnam War was a challenging time for soldiers both physically and mentally. They often didn’t have a choice on whether they were going to war due to the drafting system that had been in place. Many had tangible and intangible things that they carried with them for the sake of their sanity or their job in the unit. The chapter, “The Things They Carried”, in the novel The Things They Carried, captures this immaculately. The author, Tim O’Brien, speaks of the things each man within his unit carried with him. Each man did not just carry tangible objects with him, but also intangible objects as well .
Dave Jensen carried three pairs of socks and a can of Dr. Scholl's foot powder as a precaution against trench foot. Until he was shot, Ted Lavender carried six or seven ounces of premium dope, which for him was a necessity (O'Brien, 4).
Imagine walking through a rainy, humid tropical rain forest with forty to fifty pounds of precious luggage strapped to your back wondering where and when the next shot will be fired. Wondering whether or not you will live to see another day of combat with your brothers. American soldiers carried this burden with them every day while in combat during the Vietnam War. In the short story, “The Things They Carried” by Tim O’Brien, he explains the positive and negative effects of the things that soldiers carried with them during the Vietnam War.
For young people, the Vietnam War is a thing of the past and they can