The Things They Carried Literary Analysis

In war, one must carry everything and nothing. Tim O’Brien’s work brought forth a harrowing depiction of the realities of war. “The Things They Carried” examined the experiences of those in war. O’Brien portrays the mass confusion and guilt of battle prevalent in Vietnam through sadness and struggle. O’Brien’s writing style is straightforward yet scattered, reflecting the thought processes of those experiencing battle. The author uses a unique blend of language to convey his message, while his characters and themes combine to bring to light the truths of humanity and draw readers in. “The Things They Carried” is the best literary example of an emotional connection to readers because the use of interior monolog, distinct diction, and character …show more content…
Initially, interior monolog is confusing. However, this literary style allows the story to become relatable ("Stream of Consciousness" 1). The narrator lists objects the men carry, elaborating on various things. Setting descriptions are then followed by a flashback or explanation, following the narrator 's mental flow of ideas. The reader is familiarized with elements within the story, such as the purpose of a specific piece of military equipment. His presence within the story is then initiated. When the reader understands the way the narrator lists the things the men carried, he then takes on those burdens as his own. A stream of consciousness, the type of interior monolog used in the story, is a psychological effort to represent the lack of complete thought the men experienced. This literary method forces the reader to take on the confused mindset of the characters ("Stream of Consciousness" 1). When an audience is addressed through their consciousness, the barriers of the characters’ perspective and the reader’s emotions are broken down (Díaz 5). A stream of consciousness promotes the free flow of experience and emotion to the reader from the …show more content…
Each character represents a different personality, yet they all share a common goal (Shmoop Editorial Team 1). The camaraderie of the men causes the reader to become attached to them personally. Pointing out minor tendencies of a particular character, such as habitual reading of letters from a girl, makes him a unique individual and hints to the personality of that character (Díaz 12). O’Brien shows small attributes within characters that one would only notice after spending a significant amount of personal time with that character. A deep understanding of each character causes the reader to develop a closeness to those within the story. O’Brien created a setting in which the reader feels familiar and sympathetic to the characters by examining minute personal details, rather than umbrella