The Things They Carried Essay

ultimate price for freedom and peace. The war always stays with the soldier even long after the battles are over. Tim O’Brien is one of those soldiers who payed the price and survived the war, but internally never leaving the Vietnam War. In The Things They Carried, O’Brien uses his life experiences from the Vietnam War and his childhood, the protest during the war, and his ideologies from the war to write his novel. The life of Tim O’Brien helps the reader better determine the understanding of…

The Role of Duty in “The Things They Carried” and “Guests of the Nation” Merriam Webster’s Dictionary defines duty as “obligatory tasks, conduct, service, or functions that arise from one's position” (Webster). If this meaning is interpreted to be the correct meaning for the given situation, one’s personal beliefs and morals must not be considered when performing one’s duty, but this is not always the case. The duty of a soldier is traditionally to follow orders. A soldier must not only follow…

The term war carries the social connotation of an over glorified battle in which one gallantly humps off into battle in search of becoming an embodiment of the perfect soldier. As Tim O’Brian explains in his novel “The Things They Carried,” no amount of ribbons, medals, or other accolades can replace the agony, misery, and remorse one could feel during a war. The glamour of war is intricately dispersed through the common act of human nature in the novel. On the battle field, the act of killing…

The Vietnam War started in 1959, causing 58,119 american deaths (Hickman). In “The Things They Carried” by Tim O’Brien, O’Brien describes how the rookie soldiers feel through the hard times of the war. All the soldiers are frightened, but refuse to show their inner fear. It is not until Ted Lavender, a new recruit to the group who actually shows his uneasiness, separates to use the restroom and gets shot. The squad consists of Jimmy Cross, the 24 year old lieutenant who is in…

to demonstrate the main ideas and themes of their writings. In the fictional novel The Things They Carried written by Tim O’Brien, O’Brien used the mixture of fact and fiction to demonstrate what the soldiers had to carry in and after the Vietnam War, and how these things affected their actions. The Things They Carried is a two hundred thirty three page novel that greatly depicts the physical and mental things the soldiers had to carry during and after the Vietnam War through the use of…

War weighs very heavy on a person physically, mentally, and spiritually. Tim O’brien, the author of The Things They Carried uses items as well as experiences as symbols throughout the book. These symbols help carry the story, develop the characters, and help the reader find an emotional connection to the book. Lieutenant Jimmy Cross and his love letters from Martha are a good example. Even though the letters only weighed about four ounces they weighed heavy on Cross (O’Brien, 2-3). The letters…

about religion and what is truly considered holy by the gods to Euthyphro. Socrates makes an important point about holiness using metaphors about “carrying and being carried, seeing and being seen.” This leads to Socrates’ vague but plausible conclusion that what is holy and what is approved (loved) by the gods are not the same thing. The main idea about piety and impiety underlies in Socrates’s question about holiness and its state of being approved by the gods. Socrates further explains…

helps us understand the truth.” The soldiers lived through things that we could not fathom. In relation to Vietnam, the movie Forrest Gump snuck its way into my mind. Tim’s style of writing is why I am a fan of his stories, like Where Have You Gone Charming Billy? in particular. As a result, it made this book a real page turner. Soldiers in the Vietnam war carried an astonishing amount of items with them. I remain in awe of how much they carried. In certain circumstances, I can relate to them…

One war that clouds the United States with shame is the Vietnam War. The United States joining the war was an unpopular decision and was resented by many. Many stories have been told from the Vietnam war. Tim O’Brien’s The Things They Carried features the Alpha Company, a United States army unit that fought during the Vietnam War. The Vietnam War was unique because the United States drafted men to be in the army. This situation was true for some of the men in the Alpha Company, including Tim…

There are many things that are passed down generations. Whether it be a recipe or hobby, there are several traditions that are handed down. A tradition can also be a belief that a family has carried on through generations. Some things that are passed down can be good or horrible. Shirley Jackson’s portrayal of the danger of blindly follow tradition in “The Lottery” suggests that some traditions can mislead one from knowing right and wrong. Growing up, different people practice different beliefs…