The Vietnam War was the longest military encounter in U.S. history, from 1959 to 1975. Those involved in the war have recorded their experiences; however, Tim O`Brien, an American Writer and Vietnam Veteran, has been unmatched in his story telling about the nature of the war. The Things They Carried is a collection of stories about men during the Vietnam Era and how their experiences before, during, and after the war shaped them into the men they are. Through these multiple stories O’Brien presents his theme that war destroys more than just land, it strips soldiers of their innocence, desensitizing them to violence and death.
The natural response to such a violent environment is to behave in a way that portrays no weakness. If a soldier doesn’t show any sign of weakness, he finds it easier to trick himself into believing that survival is dependent on his strength. In claiming his self-control …show more content…
This was revealed most in the first story, “The Things They Carried”. O’Brien introduces the First Lieutenant Jimmy Cross and the Alpha Company and their response to their first exposure to violence. First Lieutenant Jimmy Cross criticizes himself saying he felt “shame” and “hate” for day dreaming about Martha after the death of Ted Lavender (16). As a result, he burns pictures of Martha in order to prevent himself from daydreaming about her, believing that wiping Martha from his mind will make him a good soldier. Jimmy Cross wasn’t the only soldier struggling to maintain the image of strength and composure in the face of death; Azar shows a need to hide his soft side. Whenever a member of the company dies, rather than
The natural response to such a violent environment is to behave in a way that portrays no weakness. If a soldier doesn’t show any sign of weakness, he finds it easier to trick himself into believing that survival is dependent on his strength. In claiming his self-control …show more content…
This was revealed most in the first story, “The Things They Carried”. O’Brien introduces the First Lieutenant Jimmy Cross and the Alpha Company and their response to their first exposure to violence. First Lieutenant Jimmy Cross criticizes himself saying he felt “shame” and “hate” for day dreaming about Martha after the death of Ted Lavender (16). As a result, he burns pictures of Martha in order to prevent himself from daydreaming about her, believing that wiping Martha from his mind will make him a good soldier. Jimmy Cross wasn’t the only soldier struggling to maintain the image of strength and composure in the face of death; Azar shows a need to hide his soft side. Whenever a member of the company dies, rather than