Avery Burnett Mrs. McFarland 2B 1 March 2024 Title “Nearly 1 in 4 active-duty members showed signs of a mental health condition” (Military Health First Aid). Many current Military members go through numerous struggles similar to the men in the Vietnam war. “The Things They Carried” follows the story of Lieutenant Jimmy Cross’s infantry unit in the Vietnam War as they lead up to the death of Ted Lavender, a member of their squad (“The Things They Carried” Short Stories for Students). In the short story “The Things They Carried,” author Tim O’Brien dives into the heavy burdens that soldiers shoulder. He develops this idea through the characters that carry a variety of objects that represent the physical, mental, and sentimental aspects of their
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All humans have the need for items to survive, this does not change even in war. Tim O’Brien explains a variety of items the soldiers carry to survive like, “P-38 can openers, pocket knives, heat tabs, wristwatches, dog tags, mosquito repellent, chewing gum, candy, cigarettes, salt tablets, packets of Kool-Aid, lighters, matches, sewing kits, Military Payment Certificates, C rations, and two or three canteens of water” (1). These items “ weigh between 15 and 20 pounds, depending upon a man’s habits or rate of metabolism” (O’Brien 1). Each individual soldier, depending on personal traits and habits, lugs their own personal things to themselves. Character “Dave Jensen carried three pairs of socks and a can of Dr. Scholl’s foot powder as a precaution against trench foot” (O’Brien 2) and the strongest soldier “Mitchell Sanders carried the PRC-25 radio, a killer, 26 pounds” (O’Brien 3). These men all carried pounds and pounds of gear, water, and other things to survive. This weight caused the men to face hardships such as fatigue and exhaustion. All the soldiers, no matter their size or job, held many items that added up to heavy amounts leading to soldiers' physical hardships and
All humans have the need for items to survive, this does not change even in war. Tim O’Brien explains a variety of items the soldiers carry to survive like, “P-38 can openers, pocket knives, heat tabs, wristwatches, dog tags, mosquito repellent, chewing gum, candy, cigarettes, salt tablets, packets of Kool-Aid, lighters, matches, sewing kits, Military Payment Certificates, C rations, and two or three canteens of water” (1). These items “ weigh between 15 and 20 pounds, depending upon a man’s habits or rate of metabolism” (O’Brien 1). Each individual soldier, depending on personal traits and habits, lugs their own personal things to themselves. Character “Dave Jensen carried three pairs of socks and a can of Dr. Scholl’s foot powder as a precaution against trench foot” (O’Brien 2) and the strongest soldier “Mitchell Sanders carried the PRC-25 radio, a killer, 26 pounds” (O’Brien 3). These men all carried pounds and pounds of gear, water, and other things to survive. This weight caused the men to face hardships such as fatigue and exhaustion. All the soldiers, no matter their size or job, held many items that added up to heavy amounts leading to soldiers' physical hardships and