The short story “The Things They Carried” by Tim O’Brien lists everything a group of soldiers carried while they were serving overseas. In total, some variation of the word “carry” is used at least one hundred and nine times, and the narrator lists everything from weapons to different thoughts and mental conditions. Throughout the short story, the point of view changes, in order to fully explain the emotions that the soldiers are experiencing while at war. Most often, the story is told with the focus on Lieutenant Jimmy Cross and his deep emotions for Martha. We see how the emotions he “carries” for Martha distract him and result in him allowing a member of his group to get shot. Lieutenant Cross then realizes how important it is for him to