In the short story “The Things They Carried”, by Tim O’Brien, the author tells a story about a man, First Lieutenant Jimmy Cross, and the journey of him and his men through the Vietnam War. The reader is introduced to Jimmy and his men in addition to all of the items they are forced to carry both physically and mentally, as they make their way through the treacherous lands of Vietnam. The reader is given small bits of insight into each soldier’s life by introducing some of the unique things that each man carries, which is not part of the military issued gear. The reader is taken on patrols, into foxholes, and into the minds of the soldiers as they deal with the rigors of war. Through the use of plot, foreshadowing, and conflict, the author
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In most cases the use of foreshadowing is a discrete one, in “The Things They Carried”, by Tim O’Brien, it is much more obvious, at least when it comes to the climax of the story. There are many instances of foreshadowing throughout the story, but the one that is most important is also the one that is most obvious. As the reader is first given the list of items that each man carries as well as its weight, the author takes this opportunity to introduce an important event that has not yet happened. “Ted Lavender, who was scared, carried tranquilizers until he was shot in the head outside the village of Than Khe in mid-April.” (565). The introduction of this event so early in the story is a blatant use of foreshadowing. At the time, the importance of this event is not known to the reader. In fact this event could possibly just be looked over as a normal loss for a platoon in the Vietnam War, but later as the reader is continuously reminded at different points in the story that Ted Lavender is shot, they begin to realize that the death of Ted Lavender is a turning point. As the story draws to a close the reader truly understands the death of Ted Lavender is the climax of the story and is the catalyst for change in the mental state and attitude of Lieutenant Jimmy …show more content…
In The Things They Carried”, by Tim O’Brien, conflict is used in all three of these ways to give the reader a look into the mental state of Lieutenant Jimmy Cross. Early in the story the reader is given a glimpse into the mind of Lieutenant Jimmy Cross. Before the reader is privy to the list of things that his men must carry, they are told of some personal items that Jimmy himself carries. A letter for a junior in Mount Sebastian College back in the United States, Martha. We hear of his love for her and how although he knows the love he feels is not shared by Martha, it does not stop him from wishing it was. This early look into Jimmy’s thoughts of home begin to reveal his disengagement in the war and his responsibilities in it. As the story continues and more personal items and thoughts from each man are revealed a true sense of how much these items weigh on the psyche of the men. These items are a constant distraction, and continuously distract the men from the war as well as the job at hand. When Ted Lavender is carried off the true weight of these intangible item hits Lieutenant Jimmy Cross and he burns his letters from Martha, and disposes of the stone she had sent him. No longer would he allow himself to be whisked away from the war, to his thoughts of Martha back in New Jersey. Henceforth he would be the Platoon leader
In most cases the use of foreshadowing is a discrete one, in “The Things They Carried”, by Tim O’Brien, it is much more obvious, at least when it comes to the climax of the story. There are many instances of foreshadowing throughout the story, but the one that is most important is also the one that is most obvious. As the reader is first given the list of items that each man carries as well as its weight, the author takes this opportunity to introduce an important event that has not yet happened. “Ted Lavender, who was scared, carried tranquilizers until he was shot in the head outside the village of Than Khe in mid-April.” (565). The introduction of this event so early in the story is a blatant use of foreshadowing. At the time, the importance of this event is not known to the reader. In fact this event could possibly just be looked over as a normal loss for a platoon in the Vietnam War, but later as the reader is continuously reminded at different points in the story that Ted Lavender is shot, they begin to realize that the death of Ted Lavender is a turning point. As the story draws to a close the reader truly understands the death of Ted Lavender is the climax of the story and is the catalyst for change in the mental state and attitude of Lieutenant Jimmy …show more content…
In The Things They Carried”, by Tim O’Brien, conflict is used in all three of these ways to give the reader a look into the mental state of Lieutenant Jimmy Cross. Early in the story the reader is given a glimpse into the mind of Lieutenant Jimmy Cross. Before the reader is privy to the list of things that his men must carry, they are told of some personal items that Jimmy himself carries. A letter for a junior in Mount Sebastian College back in the United States, Martha. We hear of his love for her and how although he knows the love he feels is not shared by Martha, it does not stop him from wishing it was. This early look into Jimmy’s thoughts of home begin to reveal his disengagement in the war and his responsibilities in it. As the story continues and more personal items and thoughts from each man are revealed a true sense of how much these items weigh on the psyche of the men. These items are a constant distraction, and continuously distract the men from the war as well as the job at hand. When Ted Lavender is carried off the true weight of these intangible item hits Lieutenant Jimmy Cross and he burns his letters from Martha, and disposes of the stone she had sent him. No longer would he allow himself to be whisked away from the war, to his thoughts of Martha back in New Jersey. Henceforth he would be the Platoon leader