Martha And Dobbins In The Things They Carried

403 Words2 Pages
In 1945, during World War II, roles of women varied from building ships and weaponry to nurses working on the front lines. In the novel, The Things They Carried, women have overlapping and contrasting responsibilities during the Vietnam War.
Propaganda boosted civilian morale during the WWII; similarly, women boosted the morale of soldiers during the Vietnam War. Two women, Martha and Dobbins unnamed girlfriend, demonstrated throughout the book the role of women to First Lieutenant Jimmy Cross and Henry Dobbins, respectively. Martha sends Jimmy letters and small trinkets, the pebble and the photos of herself. Both inspire Lieutenant Jimmy Cross to persevere in the war and providing comfort during times of stress. The pebble, Martha wrote,