Excessive Burdens. Throughout The Entirety Of Many Battles

Initially, when Tim O’Brien was drafted to fight a war, he needed to make a decision between personal desire and societal expectation: his point of views was more tend to be self-preservation. He believed that according to his qualities, “[he] was too good for this war.”(2,32-33) he refused to go to the war because he had “a full-ride scholarship for grad studies at harvard”(2,35-36) that would make his future much more better than going to a war that he felt unjustified. The notice that about he was drafted to fight the Vietnam War became a mess in the life he planned out for himself. “[Tim O’Brien] did not want to die”(3,26-27) and lose his bright future that would bring him happiness.

In the story “The Things They Carried” by Tim O’Brien, Lt. Cross is a young soldier who like many others was drafted into the war. Though he is the leader of the Alpha Company, he doesn’t show it, he is not emotionally nor patriotically devoted. Lt. Cross was distracted from the war that was going on by his feelings for Martha whose letters and photos were a fantasy to him. “Whenever he looked at the photographs, he thought of new things he should’ve done” (O’Brien 470). As the war goes on Cross becomes a dynamic character. The death of Ted Lavender served as a reality check to Lt. Cross and he began to

Lieutenant Jimmy Cross carries courage. Unseemingly so, giving up someone he loves makes him the most courageous character in The Things They Carried. Martha, the woman whom he loves, is the most important thing back home, to him. “He would imagine romantic camping trips into the White Mountains in New Hampshire. He would sometimes taste the envelope flaps, knowing he tongue had been there.” (1). This quote explains just how much Jimmy Cross loves Martha and he dreams about her everyday, Cross cares so much about Martha, the girl he fell in love with back at home. After fellow soldier Ted Lavender dies while Cross is daydreaming about Martha, he makes the honorary decision to

In "The Things They Carried," violence brings forth an epiphany for First Lieutenant Jimmy Cross. Lieutenant Cross, while seeking comfort in his imagination, allows one of his men to be shot and killed. His lack of security led to an unnecessary casualty: "[Cross] hated himself. He had loved Martha more than his men, and as a consequence Lavender was

Cross felt a surge in his brain that, “He felt shame. He hated himself. He had love Martha more than his men.” (pg.103) Lieutenant Cross had to take a few steps back from this object he ”loved” because he was losing his men. People who are here with him in the moment were losing their lives over Cross fantasizing about running in a sandy beach, or tying an object (Martha) to the bed for his own pleasure and escape.

Because he so desperately wanted something to hold onto from his life in the past, he allowed it to take over his life in the present. His addiction to Martha controlled him so thoroughly that he consistently detached himself from the circumstances that laid in front of him. “Lieutenant Cross gazed at the tunnel. But he was not there. He was with Martha under the white sand at the Jersey shore.” (pg 11). This detachment existed not without consequences. A man lost his life due to Jimmy Cross’ failure to overcome his delusion of mutual love. “He had loved Martha more than his men, and as a consequence Lavender was now dead, and this was something he would have to carry like a stone in his stomach for the rest of the war.” (pg.

He had loved Martha more than his men, and as a result, Lavender was now dead, and this was something he would have to carry like a stone in his stomach for the rest of the war” (107). Did Cross fantasize about Martha so much that Ted Lavender’s death was blamed on him? Was he to keep eyes on his men around the clock? Lavender took a chance and ended up paying with his life. Cross couldn’t

In O'Brien's novel the author exposes the fear, or thrill many men and women felt during war. This can be explained by the low morals these men set for themselves during war. Though not every man is corrupted, the ones that are

Vernon’s article mentioned about regaining hope to the soldiers resurrection in metaphor and explained “[O’Brien] wants to discover a way to alleviate his guilt and burden such that he can return to the war in his memory, emotionally survive the trip, and perhaps even gain from [war]” (Vernon). The critical essay suggests the reader about how much rough time O’Brien gone through during the war and finally going back to his normal life. The story stated one of O’Brien’s squad mate Ted Lavender was killed in action because of Cross was daydreaming during the mission. In “The Things They Carried”, O’Brien said “[Cross] loved Martha more than his men, and as a consequence Lavender was now dead,… he would have to carry like a stone in his stomach for the rest of the war” (O’Brien, 501). Cross felt regretful of his actions to get one of his men killed; he should have lead the squad on mission other than thinking about

This realization came to him when Ted Lavender died. After the death of Ted Lavender, as Lieutenant Cross is digging his fox hole, he feels shame. “He hated himself. He had loved Martha more than his men, and as a consequence Lavender was now dead, and this was something he would have to carry like a stone in his stomach for the rest of the war”(57). As a result of of his distraction Cross losses a comrade to the war. He blames himself but recognizes the problem. It is his love for Martha, he “ loved Martha more than his men”(57). Lieutenant Cross reminds himself that it is not his job to be loved but to lead. Cross burns the pictures and letters of Martha to get rid of the distractions. After Lavender’s death, Cross becomes stricter and clear of distractions. “He was now determined to perform his duties firmly and without negligence”(64). From this quote, it is clear that Cross will lead without distractions. HE knows what he is supposed to do and will be focus. Lieutenant Cross could now be characterized as as focused and responsible. He realizes his mistake and he takes the right steps to

Lieutenant Jimmy Cross had a woman that he was in-love with, Martha. Martha had been a motivator of Cross, he had always thought about her and what he’d like to do with her. ”He would imagine romantic camping tips into the White Mountains in New Hampshire.” (Page 1). But as the war went on the thought of her had took over his mind. Not fully paying attention to the men during the war. While watching one of the men checking out a hole, he had spaced out of thinking about Matha. One of his men Lavender had been shot during a restroom break. Her name became a reminder of his death. “He felt shame. He hated himself. He had loved Martha more than his men, and as a consequence Lavender was now dead, and this was something he would have to carry like a stone in his stomach for the rest of the war.” (Page 16)

Considering the plot of the stories, O’Brien wisely shifts the focus onto the emotions of the characters rather than focusing on the events of the war. Robinson correctly acknowledges the fact that “O’Brien’s characters are unsure of their purpose or even

His love for a woman caused bad decision making on his part. Cross could only think of Martha. “Lieutenant Cross gazed at the tunnel. But he was not there. He was buried with Martha under the white sand at the Jersey Shore…Vaguely, he was aware of how quiet the day was, he sullen paddies, yet he could not bring himself to worry about matters of security. He was beyond that. He was just a kid at war, in love” (O’brien 235). The death of Lavender made Cross come to a realization about his place in the war. He realized that his love for a woman that would never love him back caused him to be neglectful of what he was supposed to be thinking about. His men’s safety became his number one priority. Lavender’s death affected him in a way that no love letter from Martha could. “…Lieutenant Cross reminded himself that his obligation was not to be loved but to lead” (O’brien

As the leader he carries a lot of responsibility because he is charge of making sure all his soldiers are doing what they’re supposed to be doing. However, his emotional weight was also very heavy. He carries these “love” letters from a girl back home in New Jersey named Martha. They only went on one date but Cross was in love with this girl, except the love proved to be unrequited. They were not love letters. In fact, she wrote to him about literature and other mundane things. Still, his obsession with her grew with every letter. According to the story, “He would dig his foxhole, […] unwrap the letters, hold them with the tips of his fingers and spend the last hour of light pretending” (O’Brien 1132). No doubt all of this pretending and obsession with Martha distracted Cross immensely because on a mission, Cross was thinking about a tunnel collapsing on him and Martha. Soon after Lavender was shot in the

Soldiers leave their homes to fight in a war need to trust the soldiers they serve with, essentially these soldiers will become their second family. Nevertheless, when soldiers lose their friends in a war or watching them die in from of them without the ability to help, they are highly affected. O’Brien stated, “ Kiowa said, the poor bastard just flat-fuck feel. Boom. Down. Nothing else.. Lieutenant Cross felt the pain. He blamed himself’ (485). In other words, Kiowa one of the soldiers saw his friend getting shot, the way Kiowa described Lavender death show the difficulty he has to process his friend’s death. In addition, lieutenant Cross took the guilt on himself. Lieutenant Cross who is a young guy himself would have to carry the guilt