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Personal Experiences In The Things They Carried By Tim O Brien

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Tim O’Brien uses personal experiences to create a world of Vietnam many readers had not encountered before. In his novel, “The Things They Carried;” a collection of short stories depicting the lives of the soldiers serving the Vietnam War, O’Brien uses both facts and fiction to help the reader not only understand the events that transpired overseas, but he also tries to instill the emotions felt by those serving into the reader. During the Vietnam War, soldiers as young as 18 were drafted to serve in the American military and this greatly affected the opinions toward the war and the soldiers who served. Young men who attempted to avoid the draft were looked down upon because some Americans viewed these actions as cowardly and unpatriotic. In “The Things They Carried” the author shares with the reader his own experiences with military conscription. …show more content…

Men killed, and died, because they were embarrassed not to. It was what had brought them to the war in the first place, nothing positive, no dreams of glory or honor, just to avoid the blush of dishonor. They died so as not to die of embarrassment” (647). O’Brien explains to the reader that the decision to go to war was not always an act of heroism, but in case of the Vietnam War many soldiers went to war simply because they were forced to and the decision not to join the military was seen as a cowardly act. O’Brien does a beautiful job describing the many “things” soldiers carried in Vietnam, whether it was a fear of blushing, physical objects, tools, or emotions. His literature causes us to look into the mandatory conscription implemented during the Vietnam War and compare it to the current military that consists of volunteers

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Men went through so many tasks during the Vietnam War physically and mentally. The beginning chapters focus on training for war and being prepared for the worst. For example, when there is a sergeant in a room with the marines. The sergeant walks to the chalk board and writes “AMBUSHES ARE MURDER AND MURDER IS FUN” (36-37). The

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In Tim O’Brien’s The Things They Carried, the reader receives insight as to what soldiers experienced during the Vietnam War and what thoughts consumed their minds in those times of hardship and heartache. As Americans, we typically picture military men and women as emotionally and physically strong, while in reality, that may not be the case. They deal with more emotional and physical trauma than we come to understand. People who carry physical or emotional burdens tend to seek some kind of release or do something to feel relieved of their burdens. O’Brien uses stories about the men in his platoon to depict how soldiers are bound by their own emotional weights, and each have a different way of trying to release themselves from those tensions.

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22 million American men were drafted for the Vietnam War, 30,000 men leaving the country to avoid the inevitable draft. In Tim O’Brien’s 1990 historical fiction novel The Things They Carried, 22 short stories of the war are told by a first hand soldier who had experienced the guilt and grief associated with war. These stories follow O’Brien’s fellow soldiers and friends as they go along the war and the audience sees the development of these soldiers whose life had just been turned upside down. The readers see the guilt and grief associated with the war and the variety of how these soldiers cope with this loss. Rat Kiley, Mary Anne, and Linda are all characters the readers see whose innocence is ripped away from them at such a young age and

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Tim O’Brien, author of “The Things They Carried”, tells a war tale which contains no heroes because his story showcases the blunt reality of war. Many men, in the past, did not go to war to become heroes; rather they were forced to enlist because of the military draft or because they felt cowardly due to the expectations of society. Tim O’Brien chose to share his story because he wanted non-military civilians to learn the truth about war; the realistic side of war that the news and Hollywood films won’t show you. War is hell; it is painful, traumatizing, and completely life changing, to say the least. In my opinion, O’Brien gives readers an inside look and understanding of how there are no heroes of war, because fighting for a cause that

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Readers, especially those reading historical fiction, always crave to find believable stories and realistic characters. Tim O’Brien gives them this in “The Things They Carried.” Like war, people and their stories are often complex. This novel is a collection stories that include these complex characters and their in depth stories, both of which are essential when telling stories of the Vietnam War. Using techniques common to postmodern writers, literary techniques, and a collection of emotional truths, O’Brien helps readers understand a wide perspective from the war, which ultimately makes the fictional stories he tells more believable.

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While fighting in this war, these men felt that they had a lack of purpose. They had to find motivation in souvenirs they had brought from home and letters. This caused these men to blindly fight out of fear, rather than for a cause that they strongly believed in, “Men Killed and died because they were embarrassed not to” (O’Brien 20). These men followed orders that violated their morals, they all felt that they could not retaliate to the orders they were given out of fear. The soldiers who fought in the Vietnam War were strong, but the majority of them were fighting a battle they did not believe in.

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The Vietnam War explored the ideas of patriotism and personal beliefs. It was a tumultuous time in American History and caused division among the American people as many questioned the purpose of the war and it led to distrust in government decisions. The war had a huge impact on soldiers who fought in the war, as well as their families. Some men opposed the war but felt pressured to fight and these men were seen as courageous in the eyes of society while the men who deserted the draft were labeled as cowards. However, by looking into both sides it becomes evident that both the men who fought the war and the men who stood by their personal convictions by taking a stand against the draft demonstrated courage.

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It’s scarier than I would imagine sometimes it could make you do things you would never imagine yourself doing. If you would ever ask me what I think about the Vietnam War or what I think about it. I would tell you to me it’s a different life and you’re a different person as soon as you walk into it and out of it. ‘’they carried the soldiers greatest fear which was the fear of blushing men killed and died because they were embarrassed not to it was what had brought them to war in the first place nothing positive no dreams or glory or honor’’[20]

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The novel, The Things They Carried, starts off by author Tim O’Brien introducing us to many characters however, this very unique author novel explores most, if not all experiences of many American troops in the Vietnam War and what they went through daily during the war. This literary masterwork of Brien, in which was published in 1990, vividly portrays the psychological and emotional toll that troops bear while serving in the armed forces while also illuminating the complexity of war and its profound effects on people during that period. Initially, he uses many vivid and detailed storytelling skills in order to delve into the lives of the soldiers, revealing their fears/worries, hopes, and struggles. Additionally, to the real loads of guilt, anxiety, and trauma, he also highlights the weight of the material possessions they are required to carry, such as guns, ammo, and personal items.

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This is one of the concepts that O’Brien expands on multiple times throughout The Things They Carried. In order to fully understand the surreal horror of the war in Vietnam, it is important to grasp the central idea of unexpected death. In The Things They Carried, the primary examples of unanticipated deaths come from men in O’Brien’s own platoon‒Ted Lavender, Curt Lemon, Lee Strunk, and Kiowa. It may have been war, and death may have been expected, but the death of a peer, colleague, or even a friend could never

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"The Things They Carried" is a compelling novel by Tim O'Brien that dives into the experiences of soldiers during the Vietnam War. The book is a collection of interrelated short stories that provide a glimpse into the lives of American soldiers serving, exploring the burdens they carry mentally, physically, and emotionally. Through vivid storytelling, O'Brien paints a touching and thought-provoking picture of war and its impact on those who serve. The book follows the lives of several soldiers in the Alpha Company, primarily focusing on the character of Tim O'Brien, who shares the same name as the author.

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Oliwia Parafinska Ms. Haughey English Composition 102 28 April, 2023 Essay 3 Dealing with heavy emotions after traumatic life experiences is a tough feat, especially in situations that army soldiers go through. When taking a deeper look into the situation, it is clear that repression of emotions occurs more often than not. Pushing aside feelings seems like an easy, temporary escape, however, this repression has tremendous consequences on the psyche. In “The Things They Carried”, Tim O’Brien establishes the difficulty that soldiers in the Vietnam War have in terms of dealing with their emotional baggage which comprises grief along with fear.

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A good story is one that makes you think. I think that we are more accepting of stories that pertain to a certain genre that we like, but a good story is one that can draw someone in no matter their tastes. I think that The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien is a good example. Personally, I am not a fan of doing anything related to war. I don’t like studying it in school

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The misfortune brought about by war often leads to contradiction, between morals and nationalism. Tim O’Brien, author of The Things They Carried served as a soldier throughout the Vietnam war. Tim O’Brien was hesitant to fight and considered dodging the draft, or registering as a conscientious objector, through his novel and later experiences readers can begin to understand why. Reports of riots against the war, along with writings by dodge drafters as well as conscientious objectors help concrete why to and not to go to war as portrayed through Tim O'brien's The Things They Carried. The Vietnam War resulted in 58, 159 American casualties not including those wounded (Brenner xxii).

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The Vietnam War leaves a legacy of moral confusion with each and every soldier who serves. Soldiers are fighting for a cause they do not necessarily believe in, killing people who do not necessarily deserve it, and watching their brothers die beside them. Tim O’Briens’ book, The Things They Carried, illustrates the soldiers struggle to define morality throughout the confusion of the war. On the Rainy River, Tim O’Brien faces what he feels is his moral obligation to answer his country’s call and fight in Vietnam, and a personal moral issue with the reason for the war.

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