Things They Carried Fear Quotes

Marcelo Vogt Joshua Harris English 10 Enriched 29 April 2024

The Things They Carried When the exit is right in front of you, will you be too scared to escape? The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien includes a broad collection of topics and themes. An important topic showcased throughout the novel is fear, and how it occurs in many different ways. Fear is especially prevalent during the chapter “On The Rainy River”, which is showcased in Tim’s decision to go to the war and possibly many other decisions. Tim was against going to the war, but he went anyway because he was scared of what people might think of him. Tim outright stated that he disliked war and that it’s hell. He believed the war was meaningless and unjust, but he still ended up going. He mentioned he thought of himself as a coward for going to the war, because although it’s

Tim O’Brien was very clear with his stance on the war, he very much opposed it. He wasn’t able to find the meaning or purpose behind the war and most definitely didn’t want to participate in it. “I was drafted to fight a war I hated.” (O’Brien, 38). This quotation showcases Tim’s feelings about the war, and how he disliked it. He mentions that it didn’t make sense to him because he had many unanswered questions about the war, so he did what seemed right to him, he ran away. Although he could have tried to live a safe and happy life without suffering, there was one thing always nagging him, fear. Fear affected him in many ways, it gave him embarrassment, shame, pressure, and guilt. He wasn’t only thinking about himself, but his family too, for example: “Not to my parents, not to my brother or sister, not even to my wife. To go into it, I’ve always thought, would only cause embarrassment for all of us, a sudden need to be elsewhere, which is the natural response to a confession” (O’Brien 37). This quote shows that he didn’t want his family to feel ashamed and embarrassed.