Superstitions In The Things They Carried By Tim O Brien

When reading “The Things They Carried” by Tim O’Brien, he writes a captivating story of sorrow, terror, love, and a desire to gain freedom from the war within. Within this war, these men face emotional baggage and in Lieutenant Cross’s life, he carries the burden of death. However, within this story is a sense of love, an imagination of affection, and the freedom with safety. O’Brien envelopes the reader saying, “True war stories do not generalize…It comes down to gut instinct. A true war story, if truly told, makes the stomach believe” (O’Brien). During the development of this novel, O’Brien references women in photographs and in the memories of the soldiers. These women intrigue the reading audience with inspiration and hope, but offer

These emotional loads of grief, are told throughout the story using the soldier’s memories of women back home. However, behind this grief are superstitions, which cause the men to remain alive for their women back home. Henry Dobbins uses his girlfriend’s panty hose, to long for comfort and love. From within this panty hose, Dobbins is able to focus on his spiritual power and is able to remain vigilant of the psychological and physical trauma from Vietnam. However, when she breaks up with him, superstition of the panty hose allows Dobbins to continue wearing the panty hose. The panty hose then serves as a comfort and a reminder of home, while her abandonment of him does little to change his perception of

O’Brien uses images to capture the readers mind with the use of adjectives and similes. This is illustrated as Lt. Cross “humped his love for Martha up the hills and through the swamps” (O’Brien 356). This envelops the audience to understand the love for this woman, whom might not feel the same way towards him. He is willing to fight and keep his true feelings everywhere he went, at whatever cost, and whatever weight was upon his shoulders. Once the death of Ted Lavender had occurred, Lt. Cross is shoved back into battle with a clear mind on saving himself and his platoon. He said, “It was very sad, he thought. The things men carried inside. The things men did or felt they had to do” (O’Brien 371). With this clarification, Lt. Cross is able to take charge of his situation and lead his men accordingly. At that moment, he tells himself that he will conduct himself as the life of a leading soldier, not as his life back home should be with this visionary