ipl-logo

Symbolism In The Things They Carried By Tim O Brien

648 Words3 Pages

The Things They Carried “The Things They Carried” by Tim O’Brien is a short story set during the Vietnam War. In the story, O’Brien lists many different items soldiers in the Alpha Company carried with them as they humped across the rugged terrain. Many carried necessities such as rations, matches, ammunition and things of that nature; however, many soldiers also carried quite peculiar objects such as condoms, pantyhose, and M&Ms. Readers can grasp a closer insight of the characters’ lives after further examination of the symbolism and meaning of the things they carried. Three characters in this story that carried interesting belongings are Kiowa, Ted Lavender, and Jimmy Cross. Kiowa is a Native American soldier who carries an illustrated New Testament Bible given to him by his father. The New Testament Bible …show more content…

Jimmy Cross is the first lieutenant who carries pictures and letters from Martha, the woman he loves who—sadly—does not love him back. The pictures and letters from Martha symbolize Jimmy’s longing to be loved and comforted. It is ironic that although he is the first lieutenant who is expected to take charge and lead others, yet he never took charge of his own love life. This is a regret and burden Cross carries to the end of the story. “It was very sad, he thought. The things men carried inside.” (par. 6) In conclusion, the characters in “The Things They Carried” can be better understood through a closer look at the objects they brought with them. “They carried all they could bear, and then some, . . . “ (par 2). Kiowa, Ted Lavender, and Jimmy Cross are three very different people who were brought together to fight for a common purpose. They not only carried their own belongings, but each other too. This story shows how war can affect people and tells of the burdens that weigh soldiers down for a

Show More
Related

The Opening Chapter In The Things They Carried By Tim O Brien

607 Words | 3 Pages

The religious Native American, Kiowa, carries an illustrated New Testament to have a reminder of his father. All of these soldiers have their own unique way of coping with the war. Whether it’s through an object that they carry or something like religion, each and every soldier had their way of surviving the war. This chapter has an exemplary way of describing each and every character in the novel and gives them an individual symbol that sticks with them throughout the

Read More

The Soldier In Tim O Brien's The Things They Carried

990 Words | 4 Pages

Through centuries of great wars and battles, history has displayed brave men and women who have fought for their countries. These audacious people have helped propel countries for the greater good. However, the weight and responsibility, of the war, takes a heavy toll on soldiers that is often overlooked. Tim O’Brien, author of the novel The Things They Carried, records his stories, and the stories of his fellow soldiers during the war. However, three of these soldiers are affected in an outlandish way.

Read More

The Vietnam War In Tim O Brien's The Things They Carried

1837 Words | 8 Pages

The first mention of love is in “The Things They Carried,” when Lieutenant Jimmy Cross’ strong infatuation with Martha is revealed. His attitude seems innocent enough as he “want[s] Martha to love him as he loved her” (1). The reciprocity of this pure emotion, illustrated by the repetition of “love,” is quickly shot down as the officer is portrayed as obsessed with Martha’s rejection of him rather than simply in love. One of the most striking moments that interweaves the violent nature of war with his memories of the girl is presented in his desire to “carr[y] her up the stairs to her room and t[ie] her to the bed and [touch] that left knee all night long” (4). The run-on structure of the sentence conveys the unhealthy excitement of a man who plays this moment over and over again in his mind.

Read More

Jimmy Cross Symbolism

508 Words | 3 Pages

Lieutenant Cross' “Jimmy Cross” name is a symbol of sacrifices for others. O'Brien's characters carry both passionate and physical burdens. while they all carry substantial physical burdens, they likewise all carry overwhelming passionate burdens, made out of grief,terror,love, and aching. Every soldier’s physical burden underscores their passionate burden. Henry Dobbins, for example, carries his girlfriend’s pantyhose and, with them, the longing for love and comfort.

Read More

Things They Carried Rhetorical Analysis Essay

1333 Words | 6 Pages

The Things They Carried constantly emphasizes the juxtaposition between the war in Vietnam and the peace back home. O’Brien’s constant emphasis on the idea that war is a personal thing that can’t be fully explained or told about reveals his main purpose for crafting The Things They Carried- war does not leave even one person unscathed, and after it is over, those changes will never go away. The war is so personal an experience because it leaves everyone involved permanently altered, and each person’s change is too specialized to be explained to

Read More

Things They Carried By Tim O Brien: A Literary Analysis

1292 Words | 6 Pages

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.

Read More

Imagery In The Things They Carried

543 Words | 3 Pages

The Things They Carried, written by Tim O’Brien, illustrates the experiences of a man and his comrades throughout the war in Vietnam. Tim O’Brien actually served in the war, so he had a phenomenal background when it came to telling the true story about the war. In his novel, Tim O’Brien uses imagery to portray every necessary detail about the war and provide the reader with a true depiction of the war in Vietnam. O’Brien starts out the book by describing everything he and his comrades carry around with them during the war. Immediately once the book starts, so does his use of imagery.

Read More

Henry Dobbins Symbolism

769 Words | 4 Pages

Something Most People Don't Realize In “Tim O'Brien's novel,” The Things They Carried, each soldier carries something different that makes them feel safe/something memorable, that helps them get through their time away from home. Whether it be stockings,dental floss,a picture, or even tranquilizers. Henry Dobbins for example carries Stockings/Pantyhose.

Read More

The Things They Carried Literary Analysis

1178 Words | 5 Pages

A lot happens in Tim O 'Brien short story "The Things They Carried", at first, the reader speculates what the short story is about and why it is called "The Things They Carried". The narrator Tim O 'Brien tells and describes all the things that the men have to carry while "in-country" during the Vietnam War in the1960 's. The text 's artistic value comes from its plot, characters, conflict, and style. In the plot of the story the protagonist, Tim O 'Brien starts by describing circumstances that happened while he was in Vietnam. In the beginning of "The Things They Carried" we are introduced to each character by the things they carry.

Read More

Things They Carried Guilt

1093 Words | 5 Pages

Imagine being drafted to move thousands of miles away from the life you love to fight a war you hated. This is the unfortunate reality for Tim O’Brien In The Things They Carried. O’Brien explains his experiences of war in Vietnam, what it took to get him there, and his relationships with the other men in his platoon. He portrays guilt and pride through storytelling and intertwines the two by showing how the men often feel guilty for the actions they pursue or decisions they make based on their pride.

Read More

Essay On Symbolism In The Things They Carried

776 Words | 4 Pages

Things They Carried Analysis draft In the short story “The Things They Carried,” Tim O’brien uses the literary element of symbolism to portray how people carry different items to represent certain things, and to represent the harsh realities of war and life. He also uses symbolism to show how people become attached to items, and how they take on deeper meanings in times of stress. The story takes place during the Vietnam war, and O’Brien talks about an army detail, and the different things that they carried. This story is a great example of the use of symbolism to represent many different things at once.

Read More

Argumentative Essay On The Things They Carried

1071 Words | 5 Pages

Originally published in 1990, The Things They Carried is a collection of war stories that took place during the Vietnam War. Due to its accurate and honest depiction of war, it has been banned for crude language, violence, drug use, and sexual innuendo. The author, Tim O’Brien, was born in Austin, Minnesota in 1946. Due to his service in the United States military during the Vietnam War, O’Brien is able to depict the war in a more graphic, and realistic manner.

Read More

Things They Carried Reflection

561 Words | 3 Pages

These are some of the characters that O’Brien grows a strong friendship with and they contribute to the main theme of the book, friendship, in that they help him through tough times and they all learn to care about one another. The Things They Carried is a great read that I would recommend to anyone who likes a good war story. However, the book is not great for someone who likes a storyline that follows

Read More

Vietnam War Literary Criticism

925 Words | 4 Pages

The things these men carried were solid with weight and are able to be transported from one place to another by physically moving the object. However, the reader soon discovers it also refers to an emotional weight. As Kaplan states, “Obrien introduces the reader to some of the things, imaginary and concrete, emotional and physical, that the average soldier had to carry through the jungles of Vietnam” (2/8). In the Army there is a saying, “Go to war, or go to jail”. During the time of the Vietnam War, a majority of the men were drafted.

Read More

How Does Wilfred Owen Use Irony In Dulce Et Decorum Est

1000 Words | 4 Pages

Tim O 'Brien writes The Things They Carry, which is based on his experience in the vietnam war. O 'Brien utilizes parallel structure in his works. An example is “Henry Dobbins, who was a big man, carried extra rations….head.” It begins with the soldier 's name.

Read More

More about Symbolism In The Things They Carried By Tim O Brien

Open Document