A Short Story: The Things They Carried Thud

At that moment, everyone realized that this was more than a standoff for a robber. It is an attack of war. The police called on their radios desperately for reinforcements. They all were hiding behind cars. Then a police officer came running out of the woods dressed in full uniform of a helicopter pilot, and he was holding his arm as if he’d been wounded

The Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary defines the word "weight" as "a mass or quantity of something taken up and carried, conveyed, or transported." Tim O'Brien's war story The Things They Carried, published in 1990, explores the theme of weight and its importance to men at war in considerable depth. The opening chapter of this book, which was originally written as a short story, is comprised of a collection of lists. O'Brien details for his reader both the physical objects, such as cigarettes, C rations, and packets of Kool-Aid, and the more intangible things, such as fear and silent awe, that weigh these soldiers down. With the amount of space that the author gives to

War , like love, is always present can be a person’s worst nightmare, since it always finds ways to emotionally or physically impact one’s life. Mary Anne and Norman Bowker in Tim O’Brien’s The Things They Carried both possess a strong sense of self certainty, however the war challenges their beliefs by forcing them into extreme situations and thus making them more physically and mentally attached to the war. Mary Anne is seen as a happy and

“The Things They Carried” by Tim O’Brien is a short story written about the Vietnam War. The title has two meanings. The first is their duties and equipment for the war. The second, the emotional sorrows they were put through while at war. Their wants and needs, the constant worry of death were just a few of the emotional baggage they carried. During the Vietnam War, like all wars, there were hard times. Being a soldier wasn’t easy. Soldiers always see death, whether it be another soldier or an enemy. In “The Things They Carried,” Tim O’Brien explores the motivation of solders in the Vietnam War to understand their role in combat, to stay in good health, and accept the death of a fellow soldier.

“The Things They Carried” by Tim O’Brien is a short story written about the Vietnam War. The title has two meanings. The first is their duties and equipment for the war. The second, the emotional sorrows they were put through while at war. Their wants and needs, the constant worry of death were just a few of the emotional baggage they carried. During the Vietnam War, like all wars, there were hard times. Being a soldier wasn’t easy. Soldiers always see death, whether it be another soldier or an enemy. In “The Things They Carried,” Tim O’Brien explores the motivation of solders in the Vietnam War to understand their role in combat, to stay in good health, and accept the death of a fellow soldier.

In his novel, “The Things They Carried” Tim O’Brien paints a picture that seems very strange to those of us who have not experienced war, in his novel, “The Things They Carried.” In one part of book, Tim O’Brien describes his time with an older vietnamese man who guided them through the heavily booby-trapped jungle. While in this life-or-death situation, the platoon seemed to turn the scenario they were in into a game that was being played. A game that had the lives of men on the line. A game that was necessary for survival. But nevertheless, it was a game. The game had one simple rule that the men turned into a rhyme and that the soldiers would chant as they marched through the jungle behind the old man. “Step out of line, hit a mine; follow

THE THINGS THEY CARRIED written by Tim O’Brien. This book is based on his experience in the Vietnam War. It’s about what actually he did during the Vietnam. Some parts of the book are really cruel and depressing. This is the third book of Tim O’Brien about the Vietnam War. He uses really stressful way to explain how cruel was the war. It’s also a true portrayal of American soldiers’ life in Vietnam. War always change a people so fast, because it’s either death or survive. I think when you can’t avoid something, just enjoy them instead. Take some memorable moments before you are dead would be interesting. “Irony mixed with tragedy, and destroy the reality of death itself. They kicked corpses. They cut off thumbs.” page 19. In this page O’Brien

In the story, The Things They Carried, Lieutenant Jimmy Cross is a man who is in two forms of war, one that is in Vietnam, and one that is mental. Lieutenant Cross carried many things while in war. Lieutenant Cross did not just carry equipment, he also “carried the common secret of cowardice barley restrained, the instinct to run or freeze or hide, and in many respects this was the heaviest burden of all, for it could never be put down, it required perfect balance and posture” (O’Brien, 1198). Throughout this story, various scenes show what could be a temporary change in Lieutenant Cross. In The Things They Carried, Lieutenant Cross made himself a “cowardice” (O’Brien, 1198) escape from the Vietnam war; however, one can soon see that Cross attempts to become a better Lieutenant and realizes that he is required to make a “perfect balance” (O’Brien, 1198) between his mind and his actually duty.

If you were in a war what would you take with you? In the book “The Things They Carried” author Tim O’Brien describes the tragic experiences he and other soldiers encounter in the Vietnam War. Tim O’Brien tells the readers what each soldier carries around with them. The men carry these items to help them stay sane, to remind the soldiers what they are fighting for and to help them pull through each night and day. O’Brien associates the physical, psychological and emotional weight the soldiers bear. Lieutenant Jimmy Cross, carries around letters and photos from a woman he loves named Martha. Martha is a young college student who does not share the same feeling for Lieutenant Cross. Ultimately Lieutenant Crosses downfall stems from his love for

The sounds of the aircraft's flying past the camp woke up Alex and I. I was nervous about are training so I asked Alex if he was ready to shoot a gun. Sgt Miller yelled “Rise and Shine magots.” Everyone in the sleeping quarters woke up to the yelling. Sgt Miller wanted us to get dressed and meet him at the gun range. Alex and I got their last. Sgt Miller handed me and Alex a M1A1 Carbine, the gun weighed a ton. Sgt Miller told everyone to go to a target and get ready to shoot. Alex and I were getting in position to shoot. Sgt Miller yelled “Fire.” Alex hit the left arm of the paper target. I hit right in the middle of the head. Sgt Miller said to me “Kevin shoot again for me.” I shoot again and it hit right in the middle of the head again.

Blood from his scalp drips down his forehead As he takes another deep breath, trying to keep his tired eyes open because he knew As soon As he close them it would be his last; he will never be able to open them again. Lying in his trench wounded, he could hear the crawling of another solider coming his way. “Help.” He softly yelled due fact that he lacked energy to actually holler because of the encounter of his pain from his wounded was drowning ever last drop of power and hope that he would survive. The solider approaching him was a fellow marine, PFC Richardson, a pal of his he met while in training. As soon as Richardson saw him lying in the trench he sprint towards him and try to apply all force of pressure on his right arm to stopping

The director portrays this like an old western shoot-out, because Book is walking away then holsters his pistol in a shoot-out type fashion. We see rapid mid-range shots between Book and McPhee which gives us the feeling of a fast paced action movie. This leaves Book wounded and in a state of shock.

Blood rushed to my face. It was a terrible feeling. My knees went weak and my chest was heaving, but I couldn’t breath. I worked day and night for the six long years to just get a taste of success, a glimpse of my potential. But I couldn’t do it; I knew I would never have it in me. I walked down the final stretch of holes with the golf tournament practically in my hands. Cameras were focused, crowds cheered, rain dripped from my cap. The overcast brought back memories of my junior tournaments in Hong Kong. I hated those years. It seemed as if the rain made was my weakness. That day, I had millions of dollars on the line. More than that, I had all my loved ones on the line. I carried all they have sacrificed

“The Things They Carried” by Tim O’Brien is a war fiction story written about an American platoon during the Vietnam War. This story is written 20 years after the Vietnam War. O’Brien successfully uses fiction to bring about the truth of the war. He uses binary opposition such as love and hate, peace and war to express the inner conflict of Lieutenant Jimmy Cross as well as other members of the platoon team have to face with and gives the readers the sense of witness.

The prisoner on the very left began crying, sobbing like a child. The Captain was not swayed by his weeping. She continued. “There is one bullet in this gun,” she said, overwhelming the faint cacophony of gunfire that murmured in the background. “One by one, I will point this gun at your heads. One by one, I will pull the trigger. All you have to do to stop me, is tell me the location of your nuclear devices.”