Home Page
Materialism In The Things They Carried

Materialism In The Things They Carried

Decent Essays

Show More

The Things They Carried was written by Tim O’Brien and was originally published March 28, 1990. The story took place during the time of the Vietnam War, and shows the lives of a few American soldiers while marching from village to village motionlessly. Throughout the story, it informs us of what each soldier carries and what they carry together as a whole. Varying from extra rations to photographs, to the vivid memories they can never forget. The war changes them all and yet they go on. The things each soldier carried were more than just materialistic things, they carried memories, fear and much more. For instance, the moment Ted Lavender died right in front of their eyes, Kiowa couldn't stop talking about it “boom down. Not a word.” These

Related Documents

Improved Essays
Vietnam War Quotes From The Things They Carried
- 767 Words
- 4 Pages
Vietnam War Quotes From The Things They Carried

The Vietnam War was a war that introduced a new level of warfare. The Vietnam War a war fought with heavy firepower caused the lives of many brave American soldiers. In the story “The Things They Carried” by Tim O’ Brien emphasizes on the heavy burden American soldiers carried during the Vietnam War. As the war rose with misery, American soldiers began to rebel against it. Lastly, the theme of the story is to pay a tribute for the brave 2.5 million American soldiers who gave their lives during the Vietnam War.…
- 767 Words
- 4 Pages
Improved Essays

Read More
Improved Essays
The Things They Carried Quotes And Analysis Essay
- 2297 Words
- 10 Pages
The Things They Carried Quotes And Analysis Essay

Chapter 1: They Things They Carried Part 1- Tim O’Brien, in the novel, The Things They Carried , describes all of the objects that the soldiers carried during the war. The men carried necessities, such as knives, guns, helmets, food and water. They also carried more personal items, such as “love” letters, drugs/cigarettes, contraceptives and the New Testament. Lieutenant Jimmy Cross carried letters from Martha, a girl he was in love with. On April 16th, Lieutenant Cross was imagining and fantasizing about Martha when Ted Lavender was shot in the head while walking back from using the restroom.…
- 2297 Words
- 10 Pages
Improved Essays

Read More
Improved Essays
Tim Obrien Response
- 815 Words
- 4 Pages
Tim Obrien Response

The Things They Carried, by Tim Obrien. The Vietnam War was very bad, and how pointless it was. The story’s that are being talked about are, How to tell a true war story, and the sweetheart of the song tra bong. The soldiers talk about if they are true war stories or made up. It is going to talk about two war stories, how to tell a true war story, and the sweetheart of the song tra bong.…
- 815 Words
- 4 Pages
Improved Essays

Read More
Improved Essays
Emotions In The Things They Carried
- 926 Words
- 4 Pages
Emotions In The Things They Carried

The Things They Carried- Physical and Emotional Weights The Things They Carried is a short story, written by Tim O’Brien that was developed into a novel. It’s a war drama that takes place in the later 1900’s during the Vietnam War. In the story, an unnamed narrator describes, in the third person, the thoughts of Jimmy Cross.…
- 926 Words
- 4 Pages
Improved Essays

Read More
Improved Essays
Imagery In The Things They Carried
- 648 Words
- 3 Pages
Imagery In The Things They Carried

Tim O’Brien’s The Things They Carried follows a group of soldiers through their tour of Vietnam. Throughout the story the reader is provided with imagery from a soldier coincidentally named Tim O’Brien, detailing the items his fellow soldiers carry in their knapsacks. The items carried show great personal connections to one another, as well as their lives outside of the war. Not only are the items described, but the emotion of warfare is depicted in great detail. Therefore, O’Brien’s imagery creates an important narrative from a soldier’s point of view.…
- 648 Words
- 3 Pages
Improved Essays

Read More
Superior Essays
Irony In The Things They Carried
- 1696 Words
- 7 Pages
Irony In The Things They Carried

This endangered the men and exposed them to extensive danger in the field. O’Briens memories from war help him create a true experience for the reader, “Like most of the literature of the Vietnam war, “The Things They Carried” is shaped by the personal combat experiences of the author” (“The Things They Carried” 320). He can make connections through the characters others would not be able to make, revealing true emotion. Readers praise O’Brien for his ability to blend facts with fiction in his war stories. One major motif in the book is the burdens carried by soldiers, O’Brien reveals all the feelings these men experience throughout different periods of the war process.…
- 1696 Words
- 7 Pages
Superior Essays

Read More
Brilliant Essays
Similarities Between The Things They Carried And The Red Badge Of Courage
- 882 Words
- 4 Pages
Similarities Between The Things They Carried And The Red Badge Of Courage

O’Brien “served in the U.S. Army infantry in Vietnam in 1969 and 1970” (Marshall, Donald G. O’Brien, Tim). The title—The Things They Carried—comes from each character and their description of what they carry during the Vietnam War. Each character has a unique item that they carry. From a girlfriend’s pantyhose to the weight of a fellow soldier’s death each character has a special item that ultimately has an inner meaning.…
- 882 Words
- 4 Pages
Brilliant Essays

Read More
Improved Essays
Theme Of Physical And Emotional Burdens In The Things They Carried
- 1142 Words
- 5 Pages
Theme Of Physical And Emotional Burdens In The Things They Carried

Throughout this wide range of stories, however, there are similarities and themes that connect them and make them relatable to people from all backgrounds. One example of these themes is the idea of physical and emotional burdens and the toll these have on the soldiers both during and after the war. Therefore, In The Things They Carried, Tim O’Brien’s use of painfully honest metaphors, imagery, and anaphora reveals his overarching theme of physical and emotional burdens. First, O’Brien’s effective use of metaphors clearly conveys his theme of physical and emotional burdens. For example, one of the soldiers, Henry Dobbins, keeps his girlfriend 's pantyhose tied around his neck while on duty because, “they kept him safe.…
- 1142 Words
- 5 Pages
Improved Essays

Read More
Improved Essays
Denial In The Things They Carried
- 1151 Words
- 5 Pages
Denial In The Things They Carried

The Truth Lies Within The Story When faced with trauma, every individual reacts differently and chooses to express their emotions distinctly. This is especially evident in soldiers and how they deal with loss during wartime situations. In his novel The Things They Carried, Tim O’Brien explores different coping mechanisms for those in traumatic situations. O 'Brien explores the various ways with which soldiers cope with wartime experiences such as through social dependency , through denial and through storytelling in order to deepen one’s understanding the effectiveness of these coping mechanisms. He argues that the only true way to cope is by accepting the reality of the situation one is facing.…
- 1151 Words
- 5 Pages
Improved Essays

Read More
Superior Essays
The Things They Carried Analysis Essay
- 1129 Words
- 5 Pages
The Things They Carried Analysis Essay

The Things They Carried War is a wretched battlefield. It twists the minds of soldiers, scarring them with experiences that can last a lifetime. During war, there are some experiences that one cannot verbally formulate into words that truly capture what had happened. As the author of “The Things They Carried”, Tim O’brien writes with a style that brings his stories to life, as it allows the readers to be able to feel the situation as if them themselves were in it.…
- 1129 Words
- 5 Pages
Superior Essays

Read More
Improved Essays
Theme Of Ptsd In The Things They Carried
- 1209 Words
- 5 Pages
Theme Of Ptsd In The Things They Carried

Post-traumatic stress disorder is a reoccurring issue throughout the book The Things They Carried. The author, Tim O’Brien, tells war stories of several different men from the same Alpha Company in Vietnam. The harsh reality of the effects of the Vietnam War is described through the feelings and long-lasting impact it had on soldiers. The emotional and physiological problems faced by war veterans is addressed throughout this whole novel. Post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD is something people develop after witnessing or experiencing a terrifying event.…
- 1209 Words
- 5 Pages
Improved Essays

Read More
Improved Essays
Intangible Things In The Things They Carried
- 502 Words
- 3 Pages
Intangible Things In The Things They Carried

The Things They Carried Essay In the book The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien, the soldiers carried many things during the war that were linked to the person they were. The story takes place in 1960’s during the Vietnam war, and is a collection of short stories by Tim O’Brien who was drafted into the war in his early twenties. The book is based on events and emotions that affected him during the war, and in the first chapter he writes about all of the things that the men carried in Vietnam. Many of these things were tangible objects that represent them and their lives during war, but more so was the intangible things that defined them in this story.…
- 502 Words
- 3 Pages
Improved Essays

Read More
Improved Essays
The Sweetheart Of The Song Tra Bong, By Tim O Brien
- 1146 Words
- 5 Pages
The Sweetheart Of The Song Tra Bong, By Tim O Brien

When people hear stories, most of the time they can tell if they are real, but sometimes it can be hard to tell. Tim O’Brien’s novel The Things They Carried shows his and the experiences of many other soldiers in the Vietnam War. He describes all the horrible things they see, what they feel, and the impact of the war on them. Along with the memories of war, he also includes the art of writing and the importance of stories. In some of the chapters, O’Brien even writes about events that never actually happened.…
- 1146 Words
- 5 Pages
Improved Essays

Read More
Superior Essays
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder In The Things They Carried By Tim O Brien
- 1180 Words
- 5 Pages
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder In The Things They Carried By Tim O Brien

The Things They Carried, by Tim O’Brien, is a fictional novel about American soldiers’ lives during and after the Vietnam War. Tim O’Brien illustrates in his novel the physical and emotional burdens that the soldiers carry with them during and after their deployments. One of these emotional burdens, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, is written about in particular depth compared to the more physical burdens the men carry. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD, is a mental health disorder caused by a traumatic event. Symptoms of PTSD include flashbacks, nightmares, and severe anxiety, as well as uncontrollable thoughts about the event.…
- 1180 Words
- 5 Pages
Superior Essays

Read More
Improved Essays
The Things They Carried Theme Essay
- 809 Words
- 4 Pages
The Things They Carried Theme Essay

In “The Things They Carried,” Tim O’Brien shares numerous war stories to illustrate the life of a soldier in the Vietnam War. Throughout the book, the narrator, Tim O’Brien, shares stories about the soldiers in his platoon during the war. He shares what each soldier carried and its significance. He also discusses the effects of the war on the soldiers’ life, including his own, by using themes. O’Brien utilizes several themes in his stories, such as love and guilt.…
- 809 Words
- 4 Pages
Improved Essays

Read More

Related Topics