Leadership In Tim O Brien's The Things They Carried

Often times, leadership in military terms is synonymous with a higher, more philosophical, definition of leadership. Leadership can literally mean assuming authority, or influencing people through trust and loyalty, however, leadership in “The Things They Carried”, a story about an American military detachment in the Vietnam War, assumes a higher meaning. On the surface it may appear as if “The Things They Carried” illustrates a story about hardship and emotional trauma, however, that is not the exhaustive case. “The Things They Carried” details the clashing philosophies between adaption and necessity, and traditional values implanted into the mindsets of the character soldiers as well as the world as a whole during that time period.
In the story itself, O’Brien writes, “It wasn’t a question of deceit. Just the opposite; he wanted to heat up the truth, to make it burn so hot that you would feel exactly what he felt” (56). Outside of it’s literal context, this quote underscores the philosophical themes at play throughout the plot of the story by illustrating the strain being felt between the relationships of characters, and, as …show more content…
Of course referring to Cross, this moment in the story displays how the faults of Cross directly impact the wellbeing of his men, and that only through the correction of his flaws as a leader can the rest of the characters be safe. Additionally, by highlighting that Cross’s true intentions were not concerning his men’s safety, but rather his own personal interests, O’Brien once again adds validity to the opinions of characters like