-Introduction- The novel, The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien, is a narrative composed in a non-linear structure which consists of short stories all drawn from O’Brien's experiences during the war. Each of these short stories are linked together to portray the emotional aspects and burdens young men suffered during this time. For context, The Vietnam War was a conflict between South Vietnam and North Vietnam, with the U.S. as the South's ally. It resulted in over 300,000 American injuries and 58,000 deaths, with the average age of soldiers being only 19. This left many vulnerable to psychological and emotional difficulties at an early age. As a young man during this time in the US, it was highly likely that they would be drafted. They …show more content…
Tim O'Brien critiques society throughout the book to emphasize the emotional burdens the soldiers face during the darkest period of their lives. He critiques the societal normality of men being supposed to take on the role of being strong and masculine. By displaying their emotional burdens, it can ruin the image they desire to set and make them an outcast in society. Tim O’Brien uses imagery and repetition to characterize these emotional burdens as a soldier in the Vietnam War. In the chapter “On the Rainy River”, imagery and repetition are used to highlight the difficult decision the soldier Tim faces between escaping the draft or going to war. The Rainy River, which separates Minnesota and Canada, serves as a symbol for the internal conflict Tim experiences between the choice of the fear of war and the fear of exile. Tim reflects by stating, “I feared the war yes, but I also feared exile. I was afraid to walk away from my own life, my friends and family, my whole history, everything that mattered to me. I feared losing the respect of my parents. I feared ridicule and censure (42).” The repetition of fear emphasizes the intensity of Tim’s emotional struggle he faces. It reinforces the idea that fear is