Life in a Warzone Reading the short story “The Things they carried,” by Tim O Brien, creates a mesmerizing image of a war zone. It describes the tough war times for American soldiers fighting in the Vietnam War. The story is a literary portrayal of the material and mental pressures on the soldiers, who strive to survive physically and mentally in the war. “The things they carried” talks about how heavily equipped are American Soldiers, and how a group of them carried numerous tools
the short story, The Things They Carried, Jimmy Cross carried different type of objects that gave him the possibility of escape from the Vietnam war and being the strong leader, he should for been his platoon. Jimmy Cross has a hard time balancing the role of a strong leader and a human-being with the help of tangible and emotional object he was carrying on his shoulders. Jimmy Cross made up the thought that Martha loves him because he was emotional and physical exhausted. Jimmy Cross generated
The story “In the Field” by Tim O’Brien, is about a platoon of eighteen soldiers in the Vietnam war who are searching a shit field looking for a dead solider by the name of Kiowa. Throughout the story we as readers can see that the author uses the thoughts and actions of the soldiers to show that the Vietnam war was an unnecessary war. In addition, Tim O’Brien uses their thoughts to also show how soldiers felt about fighting the Vietnam War. In the beginning of the story we are introduced to the
In O’Brien’s short story “The Things They Carried”, First Lieutenant Jimmy Cross thinks the death of his comrade, Ted Lavender is his fault. Jimmy Cross is only 22 years-olds, too young to take on the responsibilities of being First Lieutenant at war. Jimmy Cross’s Fascination with Martha reading and daydreaming about her letters and photos. Jimmy Cross is the way his mind could escape from the ugliness of the wars. In The Vietnam War, being a strong leader over the unit is impossible if the war’s
provides a personal view into the minds of soldiers, and tells us the emotional and psychological costs of war. First Lieutenant Jimmy Cross is stationed in Vietnam in the middle of the war. He seems to be a man in love, or more like a man in love with the idea of a lady named Martha. He ends up changing from a love struck, blind man into a firm, leading soldier. In this story, the characters do the things they do because of desires and motivations. In “The Things They Carry,” Tim O’Brien underlines
person. For First Lieutenant Jimmy Cross, he had to make it through the Vietnam War alive. In the short story, "The Things They Carried," where Cross draws his strength from is somewhat unclear. He seems strong at the beginning of the story, but then again, he also seems to be gaining strength towards the end of the story. This paper shows two different points of view. It discusses whether Jimmy Cross is a stronger person at the beginning of the story or at the end of the story. One opinion is that
When a reader first starts reading the story, it seems as though everything that these soldiers carry is completely normal because their “necessities [are] P-38 can openers, pocket knives, heat tabs, wrist watches, dog tags, mosquito repellent, chewing gum, candy, cigarettes, salt tables, packets of Kool-Aid, lighters, matches, sewing kits, Military Payment Certificates, canteens of water” (O’Brien 97). These are the items that any soldier in any war would need to have in order to go into war; but
The story “The Things They Carried” reveals emotional and physical challenges soldiers face during the Vietnam War. Tim O’Brien introduces the reader not only to the subject of war and physical exhaustion, but also to human feelings and inner struggle soldiers are going through at this war. Besides the equipment and necessary things, soldiers carried emotions which strengthen their hope of staying alive in order to continue their mission. Tim O’Brien uses female figure, Martha, to create psychological
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).
were carried with them throughout the war and their life. The character Lieutenant Jimmy Cross is a prime example in the novel that carry many items both physical and emotional. Jimmy Cross was the lieutenant in the Vietnam War and had a lot on his plate, as many of them did. Martha, a woman he loves and hopes one day he will be with her, writes him letters; she does not love him and Jimmy acknowledges that. Despite her feelings for him, Jimmy Cross preserve all of the letters she sent because they