Tim O Brien's The Things They Carried

The distractions of war, misinterpretation of reality and limited control of fate as a result of the human condition appear throughout the Vietnam War at all times. Tim O’Brien, as a narrator describes the struggles of storytelling during and after the war. The constant struggle to determine reality versus personal perception arises in many aspects of his memory. Some factors of recalling events are uncontrollable such as interference of imagination and uncertainty as a result of the human condition. In Tim O’Brien’s The Things They Carried, the telling of story-truth, rather than happening-truth, is necessary, as no replica can be as genuine as the original.

It’s safe to say, that The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien has significantly impacted my life and my outlook on life. One of the reasons that I connected to it, was because it “tapped” into my emotions. Because I was emotionally connected to the book, it was easy to relate to some parts of it. Although I related to some parts of the book, other parts were a complete mystery to me because it was unfamiliar to what I know.

In the book The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien, Lieutenant Jimmy Cross recalls past stories told by him and from fellow soldiers in his time overseas in Vietnam. Experiences and events soldiers faced in Vietnam can change the way people think, feel, and act.

No war is easy for the soldiers who put their lives on the line to fight for what they believe in. The soldiers on both sides of the Vietnam War faced challenges that changed their lives forever and left a lasting effect on their physical and mental health. The hardships faced in the Vietnam War as depicted in The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien are an accurate representation of the struggle faced by not only the soldiers fighting the war but also those who were involved in nonviolent positions.

Memories, symbols, and patterns affect how someone reads and understands a piece. They paint the concepts in bright colors, making the story more interesting and pulling the reader into itself. Noticing the memories, symbols or patterns lets the reader see the story in a way the author might not have intended. Suddenly, the reader is guessing what comes after the book, connecting it to their own life, and seeing the characters in a while new light, for example; In Tim O’Brien’s book The Things They Carried, Tim tells a lot of flashbacks from the Vietnam War. The good, the bad, he remembers the men and the crazy stuff they did to pass time. He remembers the people of Vietnam, and the sweet one-legged boy who asked for a chocolate bar. “I remember

As Patrick Rothfuss said in the book, The Name of the Wind, “Words can light fires in the eyes of men. Words can wring tears from the hardest hearts.” Throughout the novel, The Things They Carried, author Tim O’Brien uses not only words, but also strategies of language to make the readers feel that they too are interwoven in the fabric of war where O’Brien once found himself, the Vietnam War. His flawless execution of these techniques is so notable that the New York Times called the novel “ . . . A book that matters not only to the reader interested in Vietnam, but to anyone interested in the craft of writing as well.” However, making the most considerable impact is O’Brien’s use of language elements to reveal the universal moral truths about

When fighting as a soldier in the Vietnam War, everything carried has to have significance. In The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien, the soldiers carried items that were important to them symbolically and emotionally. There were some objects that were a necessity such as, pocket knives, heat tabs, wristwatches, dog tags, mosquito repellent, steel helmets, ponchos, and etc… Also, standard weapons were needed like the M-60, M-16, and M-79. Jimmy Cross was first lieutenant so he had the responsibility to shuffle around a compass, maps, code books, binoculars, and a .45-caliber pistol. RTO Mitchell Sanders had the responsibility to carry the PRC-25 radio, which was a whole 26 pounds. Rat Kiley was the medic and had certain items needed to treat

The Vietnam War began in 1955 and ended in 1976. The North Vietnamese government and the Vietnamese Congress fought against France and then America, and eventually against South Vietnam to reunify Vietnam under communist rule. In Tim O’Brien’s novel, The Things They Carried, he tells some of his experiences during the Vietnam War. During the war, he learns that it’s not only the violence that makes war such a dreaded experience, but the intangible weight that each soldier carries.

The Things They Carried written by Tim O’Brien was published in New York in 1990. O’Brien’s use of storytelling helps the reader to understand the raw and fascinating complexity of life in Vietnam as an American soldier. Tim O’Brien, born in Minnesota in 1946 was drafted at age 22, just 2 weeks after earning his bachelor's degree in government and politics.

The narrator in the book, The Things They Carried, Tim O’ Brien has a very peculiar life. He has been a lot of different things in his life. He worked in a slaughterhouse, served in the army, and hardest of all, raised a family. Tim O’ Brien has also had trials and tribulations. He has tried to leave America, he killed someone, and he still holds burdens of guilt and disappointment to this day.

O’Brien wrote The Things They Carried with a simple purpose; he wanted to expose the truth of warfare and to examine storytelling, itself. The Things They Carried was an eye-opening tale of the reality of war. So often were soldiers that to be noble, proud fighters, pinned with medals and given. Soldiers were seen as individuals with the sole purpose of protecting and fighting for freedom; they were the pride and joy of America. However, They Things They Carried revealed the true impact of war. What is left of the noble soldiers is hardly recognizable. Men returning from Vietnam were riddled with guilt, haunted by ghosts of departed brothers, and ashamed of the horrific things they had down overseas. Twenty years after writing The Things They Carried, Tim O’Brien did an interview in

In Tim O’Brien’s historical fiction novel The Things They Carried, O’Brien uses a character also called Tim O’Brien to tell about experiences from the Vietnam War (1954-57). In the chapter, “How to Tell a True War Story”, O’Brien states “a true war story is never moral.” (65) War is not only horrid and unsightly, it also affects a soldiers’ mental make-up. Filled with death and gore, the Vietnam War has the capability to leave soldiers physically and mentally unstable. O’Brien begins his journey as a frightened, inexperienced young man, terrified of the great dishonor that follows evading the war. Tim O’Brien departs the Vietnam War full of remorse then tells short stories throughout the novel, The Things They Carried, about the Vietnam war as a coping skill. To show vivid emotions O’Brien uses the novel to fill in the blanks of his memories. Indulging in The Things They Carried is comparable to sitting in a living room, having a conversation with a war veteran.

Uncertainties of pursuits that you may not return from, and living through constant life or death

The Things They Carried, by Tim O'Brien, tackles a major issue, story-wise, in the section of the book entitled "Good Form". He explains the difference between the reality of life and the story truths that he displays to the reader. He claims that, "I watched a man die a trail near the village of My Khe. I did not kill him. " (O'Brien 179). He claims that he wants the reader to, " feel what I felt. I want you to know why story-truth is truer sometimes than happening truth. " (O'Brien 179). The author is saying that the reality does not fully encompass the emotions that these stories bring to light. By setting himself as the murderer of that man O'Brien is able to better connect to the reader. It gives logical reason to why O'Brien remembered

The Things They Carried, told by Tim O'Brien, tells of the adventures and experiences of many young men during the Vietnam War. He describes everything the men carried on their missions all physically, mentally, and emotionally. Many of these burdens had a huge effect on the men and still do today. This novel is told with neither an anti-war perspective nor a pro-war perspective on war, but rather a neutral perspective.