The Things They Carried

Written by: Tim O’Brien

Cylivia Lee

Tim O’Brien

Author of The Things They Carried and many other Vietnam War novels.

The Things They Carried In this novel, O’Brien

lists the physical and intangible items that men carry with them to war such as weapons, good luck charms, letters, pictures, emotions, and thoughts.

The Things They Carried O’Brien begins this novel explaining the

thoughts of Lieutenant Cross for Martha, a girl he loves and writes to. He reads and re-reads her letters and ponders about her each day. But, with his thoughts of her, he is also in charge of the lives of his men. After one of his men died, Lieutenant Cross is forced to focus more on the war instead of Martha.

The Things They Carried Throughout

the novel is a collection of short stories from the views of those who fought in the war.

The Things They Carried In The Things They

Carried, O’Brien explained how to determine a true war story. He concludes that it doesn’t have to have a meaning or lesson behind it for it to be true.

O’Brien’s Technique O’Brien uses a very inconspicuous

way of writing. Although his novels are based on his life during the Vietnam War, they are mostly fiction.

His stories are only based on his life and not all them are true.

Inside Look In one of his short stories, O’Brien

described a soldier named Mark Fossie who brought his girlfriend, Mary Anne, in from America to visit. She had just graduated from high school.

After a couple months in Vietnam, she changed her lifestyle and turned from this innocent American girl into this wild savage-like creature living in the forest.

Inside Look This short story of Mark Fossie and Mary

Anne is an example of how O’Brien shows the reality of war and how it changes people. He uses stories similar to this to help readers appreciate war stories and to determine whether they are true or not true.

A Review of O’Brien’s works The Things They Carried is said to be

one of the best war novels in O’Brien’s generation.

After viewing his work, I believe that The Things They Carried brings a new perspective in the way people may view veterans and the truth in war stories.

The End