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Summary Of The Things They Carried By Tim O Brien

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The United States of America conducted lotteries to determine the order of call to the military service in the Vietnam War for men ages 16-21. Many men were forced to leave loved ones and special people behind. “The Things They Carried” by Tim O’Brien gives readers the inside look of what it was like to be an American Soldier in the Vietnam War. His memoir includes unforgettable images of a nightmarish war that people are still trying to absorb. The book is a set of connected short chapters that tell the stories of soldiers before, during and after the war. These stories show the harsh realities of the Vietnam War communicated by Tim O’Brien’s memory. O’Brien does not shy away from the importance of friendship during the war. Soldiers are …show more content…

“O’Brien writes, “Rat pours his heart out. He says he loved the guy. He says the guy was his best friend in the world. They were like soul mates, he says, like twins or something, they had a whole lot in common. He tells the guys sister he’ll look her up when the war’s over” (O’Brien 68). Rat had a very emotional connection with Lemon as a soldier. Rat loved Lemon and they created a strong bond with each other. It is very hard to let someone know how much someone means to you. It is hard for Rat to explain how important Lemon was to him and what relationship they had. Lemon’s sister doesn’t even reply to Rat because she doesn’t know how important Lemon was to Rat. The friendships created at war give soldiers hope. When Lemon died, Rat was a wreck. “The whole platoon stood there watching, feeling all kinds of things, but there wasn’t a great deal of pity for the baby water buffalo. Curt Lemon was dead. Rat Kiley had lost his best friend in the world” (O’Brien 79). This is the consequence of the strong bonds that are created with each other. After a close death, Rat does not know what to do with himself. He is lost without his best friend and his savior. His friendship with Lemon is what motivated him every day. Kiley is shooting a baby buffalo to show anger and sadness towards his best friend at war. Rat was an emotional mess and took his anger out by senselessly killing an innocent buffalo. Rat recognizes what is valuable during his time in the war. Friendships and love are what bring soldiers together creating happiness. Nobody outside of the battlefield understands the importance of friendship and love. Rat was angered by the fact that Lemon’s sister did not acknowledge the letter. Lemon’s sister does not understand how valuable Lemon was to Rat. Rat said that Lemon made the war fun and he was the most influential man in the world. People ignore what

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