Jimmy Cross's Use Of Characterization In The Things They Carried

In Tim O’Brien’s aptly named story, “The Things They Carried,” detailed lists of items carried by each of the characters are presented to the reader. Each character carries varying physical and emotional burdens on their shoulders as they march through the jungles of Vietnam. The technique of listing the things they carried is an excellent use of characterization and gives the reader an in-depth understanding of each individual which, in return, allows O’Brien to achieve a connection between his characters and his audience. The list of internal and external burdens carried by the extensive cast of characters acts as a form of characterization. One example of this is when the text states, “As a first lieutenant and platoon leader, Jimmy Cross carried a compass, maps, code books, binoculars, and a .45-caliber pistol that weighed 2.9 pounds fully loaded. He carried a strobe light and the responsibility for the lives of his men” (O’Brien). In such a short paragraph, the character of Jimmy Cross is expanded and mapped out to the reader. One is able to determine the natural leadership Cross possesses. It is clear that he not only sees the protection of his men as a responsibility, but as a value as well. The reader can also determine Cross’s preparedness for the platoon’s march through the wilderness by the sheer amount of items

The point of the story is to relay to the reader everything they carried and more, but O’Brien uses this to expand on his characters and establish a connection between character and reader. If he had simply written a narrative about the men marching through Vietnam, the reader would not be able to truly understand the emotional weight on their shoulders. The characters would be flat and boring, yet the technique allows for the narrative to maintain a constant flow without disruption to develop