Written by Tim O’Brien, The Things They Carried is a novel that has a focus on the Vietnam War, and the effect the war had on the soldiers who participated. A short part of the novel’s multipart stories, The Things They Carried is a short story that focuses greatly on the themes of love and war, and the sacrifices one has to make between personal feelings and personal duty. The author uses the characters within the story to express the feelings of the men as they travel through Vietnam, as well as interpret the psychological effects the war has on the men, and the amount of trouble they go through to maintain a sense of comfort during the men’s service. This attention to the inner conflicts of the squad of men is capitalized by the massive
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Jimmy Cross is perhaps the greatest character in the story, bringing forth many different symbols and messages through his actions. In the beginning, Jimmy fantasizes about Martha, keeping her messages and her good-luck pebble in his mouth, often daydreaming about romantic moments with her. Tim Lavender’s death changes that, and as a result, Jimmy Cross decides that he needs to focus on the war and his men instead of his love back in America. “There was a steady rain falling, which made it difficult, but he used heat tabs and sterno to build a small fire, screening it with his body, holding the photographs over the bright blue flame with the tips of his fingers” (Brien 6). This representation of the removal of Martha’s possessions embodies Jimmy’s change, as he chooses a clear head to best lead instead of being loved. Tim O’Brien’s usage of literary devices such as symbols and motifs shows as we see the conflicts of elements between duty and love. Yet Jimmy Cross isn’t the only character whose own personal feelings and actions are shown. Tim O’Brien makes use of history and setting as the setting is Vietnam during the Vietnam War, and effects of the war begin to take a toll on the men, with many needing something, some extra keepsake, to remind them of home and the normal life they left behind in America. These odds and ends vary …show more content…
The themes of The Things They Carried, war and love and the weight of emotions from fear and the unknown each play a part in the story, and also in the lives of humans in real life. In particular, war and love are commonly seen in the real world, often portrayed as two separate opposing forces, or two sides of the same coin, both needing the other to exist. The Things They Carried sets the relationship of love and war as two poles of a magnet; one must choose a side to take, as remaining in conflict can lead to disaster. Until Lavender’s death, Jimmy Cross was trapped in stasis, unable to fully commit to the war as his old passions remained relatively dominant in his mind. When Lavender’s death represents the change, the final measure needed to allow Cross to realize his inner conflict. “In part, he was grieving for Ted Lavender, but mostly it was for Martha, and for himself, because she belonged to another world, which was not quite real” (Brien 3). This event changes Cross, and through him, Brien expresses the message of conflict between love and war, and more importantly, how indecision will lead to mistakes. In addition to themes having impacts on the lives of people, the weight that emotions can have on individuals is another powerful theme that carries another powerful message to humanity to learn
Jimmy Cross is perhaps the greatest character in the story, bringing forth many different symbols and messages through his actions. In the beginning, Jimmy fantasizes about Martha, keeping her messages and her good-luck pebble in his mouth, often daydreaming about romantic moments with her. Tim Lavender’s death changes that, and as a result, Jimmy Cross decides that he needs to focus on the war and his men instead of his love back in America. “There was a steady rain falling, which made it difficult, but he used heat tabs and sterno to build a small fire, screening it with his body, holding the photographs over the bright blue flame with the tips of his fingers” (Brien 6). This representation of the removal of Martha’s possessions embodies Jimmy’s change, as he chooses a clear head to best lead instead of being loved. Tim O’Brien’s usage of literary devices such as symbols and motifs shows as we see the conflicts of elements between duty and love. Yet Jimmy Cross isn’t the only character whose own personal feelings and actions are shown. Tim O’Brien makes use of history and setting as the setting is Vietnam during the Vietnam War, and effects of the war begin to take a toll on the men, with many needing something, some extra keepsake, to remind them of home and the normal life they left behind in America. These odds and ends vary …show more content…
The themes of The Things They Carried, war and love and the weight of emotions from fear and the unknown each play a part in the story, and also in the lives of humans in real life. In particular, war and love are commonly seen in the real world, often portrayed as two separate opposing forces, or two sides of the same coin, both needing the other to exist. The Things They Carried sets the relationship of love and war as two poles of a magnet; one must choose a side to take, as remaining in conflict can lead to disaster. Until Lavender’s death, Jimmy Cross was trapped in stasis, unable to fully commit to the war as his old passions remained relatively dominant in his mind. When Lavender’s death represents the change, the final measure needed to allow Cross to realize his inner conflict. “In part, he was grieving for Ted Lavender, but mostly it was for Martha, and for himself, because she belonged to another world, which was not quite real” (Brien 3). This event changes Cross, and through him, Brien expresses the message of conflict between love and war, and more importantly, how indecision will lead to mistakes. In addition to themes having impacts on the lives of people, the weight that emotions can have on individuals is another powerful theme that carries another powerful message to humanity to learn