The Things They Carried by Tim OBrien Essay -- Literary Analysis

The Things They CarriedTim OBrienThis work of art is a warfare story, with love, tragedy and personalised accountability, magnanimous details of what one carries, gos and ponders during events that take place out of our control. The Thing Things They Carried, by Tim OBrien depicts human beings just like us that dont get a choice of what happens around us but how to survive with the things we hold dear that help us make it through. It also shares with us the fear, risk and aftermath of the death of one of their men and the personal responsibility the narrator feels as the loss of one of the men under his care. The consideration of the story is integral as it takes place in the village of Than Khe. The war of Vietnam was a tragic, messy war that affected many lives. The setting brings readers to a geographic location that these and countless other men have spent months and years experiencing life and death, tragedy and camaraderie, fear, loss and the ultimate test of typeface an d strength. Without it, the story wouldnt have the same effect. The use of vivid, descriptions and imagery of the things to each one soldier has with him gives the readers a better understanding of what the weight load and upshot these men underwent. The author describes to us the necessities of what they carried The things they carried were largely determined by necessity. Among the necessities or near-necessities were P-38 seat openers, pocket knives, heat tabs, wrist-watches, dog tags, mosquito repellant, chewing gym, candy, cigarettes, salt tablets, packets of Kool-Aid, lighters, matches, run up kits, Military Payment Certificates, C rations, and two or three canteens of water. (626-627) non only did they carry these things, but each man had specific t... .... He would insist on clean weapons. He would confiscate the remainder of lavenders dope.(636)Tim OBriens story depicts human spirit of mistakes, guilt, humility, personal responsibility and things we can safeguard ag ainst. It doesnt always mean that we can control lifes events, but we can make choices to forbid these things. It also shows how we cope with the difficult challenges that we face. Lieutenant Jimmy Cross uses Martha to cope, date Ted Lavender uses dope. Henry Dobbins uses food, while Kiowa relies on his faith. The story gives us perceptiveness on war, but also insight on human nature itself. Works CitedLiterature, An introduction to Fiction, Poetry, Drama, and Writing, X.J. Kennedy, Dana Gioia, The Things We Carried pg 625How To Tell A True War horizontal surface Metafiction in The Things They Carried, Catherine Calloway, http//web.ebscohost.com