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Symbols and metaphors in the story the things they carried
Symbols and metaphors in the story the things they carried
Symbols and metaphors in the story the things they carried
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War and Peaceful Fables
War stories, fantasy stories, sci-fi and simplistic fable stories, the list trails on like fans behind a famous actor. From books or movies to computer games and music videos, the element of story penetrates a broad array of interests; the public longs for engaging stories and seeks them in any form they can.
Keeping this in mind, please do not be shocked when I state that gruesome war stories and simple fables are, in principle, one in the same. Of course, I dont deny that one form of story may be more preferable for readers. However, we can know that the meaning of story (a written work that shows character and the motivations that spring from it) puts such extremely different stories and genres on the same plane.
In The Things They Carried, Tim OBriens mastery of the concept of character comes through to us clearly. He portrays Lieutenant Jimmy Crosss inner struggles and unpredictable actions in such a way that we can identify with himeven though the lieutenants character comes out under the stress of war, and ours may not. Just like many an average person, Lieutenant Cross adds to his burden, physical and mental, by carrying pictures and letters from his love, Martha. He knows she really doesnt love him, but, from the pressure of war, he turns by default to the comfort of his far away love, countering the harsh reality. The second sentence of the selection of The Things They Carried begins with, They were not love letters, but Lieutenant Cross was hoping (706). This quote shows what the letters meant to Cross, and why he carried them. He and the other men cling to material things in this mannerwhether it be love or dope, tranquilizers or too much ammunition, or even slingshots and comic books.
Doesnt this seem a silly thing for soldiers to do? Maybe. But their reactions to war are certainly realistic. OBrien continues to expand character throughout the piece. In the lieutenants mind, the pressure and even pointlessness of war grows with its morbidity and loss. But it was not a battle, just an endless march without purpose (713). OBrien continues this prose with revealing that the men would often discard things. Purely for comfort they would throw away rations (713). But no matter how they discarded the objects that they needed physically, it was so difficult to shed the emotional weight They carried all the baggage of men who might die (716).
Religion was a big part of people’s lives back in Stoker’s time. A belief against religion was evil; therefore one who was not devout would be deemed bad or wicked. Dracula, was as evil as a creature gets and a nightmare for the pious; he was a symbol of an Anti-Christ and could even be called Satan. “I drew away, and his hand touched the string of beads which held the crucifix. It made an instant change in him, for the fury passed so quickly that I could hardly believe it was ever there.” (Stoker 24-25). Because Dracula was harmed by holy items, it could mean that he was pure evil, which would be true in Stoker’s time. As a result the main weapons the men had to fight against Dracula with was sacred matter; their struggle was like a fight was like a battle between the holy and satanic. The Count was invading Lond...
O’Brien, Tim. “How To Tell a True War Story.” The Compact Bedford Introduction to Literature. Ed. Michael Meyer. Boston: Bedford St. Martins, 2003. p. 420-429.
One of the main characters in the short story “The Things They Carried”, written by Tim O’Brien, is a twenty-four year old Lieutenant named Jimmy Cross. Jimmy is the assigned leader of his infantry unit in the Vietnam War, but does not assume his role accordingly. Instead, he’s constantly daydreaming, along with obsessing, over his letters and gifts from Martha. Martha is a student at Mount Sebastian College in New Jersey, Jimmy’s home state. He believes that he is in love with Martha, although she shows no signs of loving him. This obsession is a fantasy that he uses to escape from reality, as well as, take his mind off of the war that surrounds him, in Vietnam. The rest of the men in his squad have items that they carry too, as a way of connecting to their homes. The story depicts the soldiers by the baggage that they carry, both mentally and physically. After the death of one of his troops, Ted Lavender, Jimmy finally realizes that his actions have been detrimental to the squad as a whole. He believes that if he would have been a better leader, that Ted Lavender would have never been shot and killed. The physical and emotional baggage that Jimmy totes around with him, in Vietnam, is holding him back from fulfilling his responsibilities as the First Lieutenant of his platoon. Jimmy has apparent character traits that hold him back from being the leader that he needs to be, such as inexperience and his lack of focus; but develops the most important character trait in the end, responsibility.
The crucifix and the empty cross are symbols of fear, loathing and danger to Dracula. There is a certain irony here as the cross is the ultimate symbol of redemption to all Christians. Sin or rather the dark side of humanity's turning from God is recognized and can be redeemed by coming to the cross. The cross is also a symbol of resurrection. The resurrection is the gift of eternal life through Christ to which all Christians can aspire. This is opposed to the Un-Dead nature of Dracula. He is immortal but it is not an eternal joyful thing. Indeed the eternity is always under threat by the very normalcy and goodness of people like the Harkers.
The title of the book itself couldn’t be more fitting. The Things They Carried is a semi-autobiographical novel written by Tim O'Brien about soldiers trying to live through the Vietnam War. These men deal with many struggles and hardships. Throughout this essay I will provide insight into three of the the numerous themes seen throughout the novel: burdens, truth, and death.
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. 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 burden of guilt when he loses one of his men to an ambush.
"Water Management in the Ancient World." Science and Its Times. Ed. Neil Schlager and Josh Lauer. Vol. 1. Detroit: Gale, 2001. Student Resources in Context. Web. 4 Apr. 2014.
Before O’Brien introduces the characters, he introduces the items they carry as symbols of their humanity. The reader has a chance to develop curiosity for the depth of each character presented and is not instantly alienated by the war setting. In the first paragraph O’Brien introduces the letters Lieutenant Cross carries by writing, “First Lieutenant Jimmy Cross carried letters from a girl named Martha, a junior at Mount Sebastian College in New Jersey. They were not love letters, but Lieutenant Cross was hoping” (O'Brien 337). The letters are one of the most prominent symbols the reader encounters and at the story’s opening, act as a symbol of home, youth, and hope. Because he carries these dainty baubles, Cross seems more vulnerable, therefore, more human. The reader sees this again when introduced to more of the soldiers inventory, “Among the necessities or near-necessities were P-38 can openers, pocket knives, heat tabs, wristwatches, dog tags, mosqui...
O’Brien, Tim. “How to Tell a True War Story.” The Things They Carried. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1990. Print.
In the beginning chapter, O’Brien rambles about the items the soldiers carry into battle, ranging from can openers, pocketknives, and mosquito repellent to Kool-Aid, sewing kits, and M-16 assault rifles. Yet, the story is truly about the intangible things the soldiers “carry”: “grief, terror, love, longing. shameful memories (and) the common secret of cowardice” (Harris & O’Brien 21). Most of the soldiers did not know what the overall purpose was of fighting the Vietnamese (Tessein). The young men “carried the soldier’s greatest fear, which was the fear of blushing”.
In conclusion, it is impossible, as far as our knowledge goes, to know for certain if Robin Hood was an actual person, based on an actual person, or was merely legend. There is strong evidence that Robin Hood was based on an actual person and there are many possible candidates for the real-life Robin Hood, but there is no definite evidence for any of them. The true identity of the legendary Robin Hood may one day be known if more evidence presents itself.
One of the most overlooked aspects in the life of a soldier is the weight of the things they carry. In Tim O'Brien's story, "The Things They Carried," O'Brien details the plight of Vietnam soldiers along with how they shoulder the numerous burdens placed upon them. Literally, the heavy supplies weigh down each soldier -- but the physical load imposed on each soldier symbolizes the psychological baggage a soldier carries during war. Though O'Brien lists the things each soldier carries, the focal point centers around the leader, Lieutenant Jimmy Cross, and his roles in the war. Lt. Cross has multiple burdens, but his emotional baggage is the most pressing. Of all the weights burdened upon Lt. Cross, the heaviest baggage is located in his own mind. Specifically, the heaviest things Lt. Cross carries are an emotional obsession over Martha's love, the physical consequences caused by his daydreaming of Martha, and an unrelenting guilt about Ted Lavender's death.
Throughout Tim O’Brien’s novel, The Things They Carried, a plethora of stories are told concerning the lives of a select number of soldiers in and out of the Vietnam War. In his writing, O’Brien also conveys his own thoughts on the art of storytelling and the nature of stories themselves. In these passages, O’Brien provides a detailed analysis of the challenges of storytelling, the effects of time on memory, the role of imagination in storytelling, the reason for retelling a story, and a story’s purpose and process for the reader.
In The Things They Carried, Tim O’Brien repeatedly uses the word “carried” to symbolize the emotions and personalities of soldiers in the story, both individually and collectively. Jimmy Cross underwent terrible trauma as a result of “carrying” his memories and false hopes for his love, Martha. When he was finally able to let go of those memories, he understood reality and his focus returned to where should of always been: leading the squadron. As a group, the soldiers underwent trauma due to the emotions they carried including fear, grief, and love. The word “carry” comes from the Latin words “quadrare” and “caries,” meaning “suitable” and “to rot,” respectively. The things carried by the soldiers “suited” their character, but also “rotted” within them, causing them trauma until they were able to let go of them.
These stories show the reader different scenarios and how the characters react to them, giving some examples for how the reader might act if they happen in real life.