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War In Tim O Brien's The Things They Carried

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War is a Thing that blurs the line between truth and surrealism; what occurs in a War, it would appear that it can never be genuine, yet in the meantime, it happens. Numerous returning soldiers feel distanced from their homes and families because nobody can comprehend what they have seen or experienced. Author Tim O'Brien encountered the War firsthand when he was called to battle in Vietnam in 1969 and 1970. He and other individuals in his unit saw untold horror, yet also snapshots of magnificence and peace that appears to be contrary to the scene of cold-bloodedness and fear. O'Brien calls his novel a work of art, however, it depends on the experience of thousands of individuals who are called upon to battle for their nation in the mud and wildernesses of a piece of the world that is a long way from their own (O’Brien 273). O'Brien catches their aggregate involvement in a progression of vignettes, blurring the lines between what is occurring reality and reality Story en route. For readers who have seen the complexities of War, O'Brien's stories reveal to them a reality. For readers who have never experienced War, stories may appear to be …show more content…

In the most beautiful perspectives, this field is brimming with mucky waste: "town latrine." The men settle in next to him, and the ground is assaulted amid the night (Clarke 130–54). Norman Bowker discusses setting off to the shouting Kiowa; however, when he gets to it, he is now awful. He sinks into it, and Bowker relinquishes his shoe since he can feel sliding under the ground, as well. Bowker says that he could win a silver star if there were no odor. Later in the novel, nevertheless, O'Brien demonstrates this is not a Bowker who lost his levelheadedness and the Silver Star that night; it was he. Afterward, O'Brien goes to visit the field with his girl, Kathleen. Plainly, the demise of KIOWA keeps on weighing on him (O’Brien

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772 Words | 4 Pages

The Vietnam War spanning over two decades was a complex conflict that was fought through America’s outlook of containing communism in Europe. The multifaceted perspectives of the Vietnam War and unclear military objectives caused confusion for soldiers. As a result, a majority of soldiers felt pushed into a war that they didn’t fully understand, leading to lifelong psychological consequences. Although many believe soldiers are fearless and can tolerate the trauma of war, in The Things They Carried, Tim O’Brien illuminates the underlying effects of war on soldiers that aren't immediately apparent to the naked eye, highlighting the physical and emotional struggles within soldiers' daily lives. O’Brien’s use of figurative language immerses readers

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961 Words | 4 Pages

Tim O’Brien uses detail to let readers know his emotions during the war. “I felt paralyzed. All around me the options seemed to be narrowing, as if I were hurtling down a huge black funnel, the whole world squeezing in tight” (O’brien, 41). He was stuck with the feeling of scared and not knowing what to do. He used detailed words to have readers try to understand what he was feeling.

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435 Words | 2 Pages

The antagonizing adversity, the convoluted hardships, and the reassuring lies – a war story that engulfs its audience in morality by tapping into a soldier’s inner memories back in the Vietnam War. The memories that Tim O’Brien possesses are documented in The Things They Carried, as it details the tragedy of mindlessly wandering on the battlefield with the disturbing thought of possibly being dead in seconds while carrying the burdens of the companions who died. It is a tragedy from the perspective of insiders versus outsiders, as one persists while the other watches them mourn their lives. Looking back to old memories like a distant friend, Tim O’Brien compounds fear, friendship, and falsehoods to retell his experiences as an American soldier to demonstrate that we are human individuals coping

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705 Words | 3 Pages

Although the soldier he killed was an enemy soldier, instead of vilifying him he was able to humanize the man. O’Brien was able to describe the physical appearance of the soldier and imagine her life before war. The author was able to portray an emotional connection and made the line between friend and enemy almost vanish. This was able to reveal the natural beauty of shared humanity even in the context of war’s horror. O’Brien is able to find the beauty in the midst of this tragic and horrible event.

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474 Words | 2 Pages

Heroes are meant to be strong, powerful, and unbreakable. O’Brien shows us the opposite of that when he begins to breakdown after killing the boy with the grenade. He not only regrets it, but begins to imagine a life he had before his death. He couldn’t stop looking at his deformed face and even thought of him later in life when he figured the boy coming towards him as he once did before his death. Heroes aren’t supposed to regret what they’ve done or even be traumatized, they’re supposed to rise above that and show their spirit.

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1067 Words | 5 Pages

He witnesses the deaths of Ted Lavender, his friend Curt Lemon, and Kiowa and also sees many dead on the other side and has multiple vivid experiences that he likes to share. Rat Kiley plays a central role in the story of The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien. He combines the theme of “imagination can be more real than reality itself” through his burden of death, stolen innocence, and his need to tell stories.

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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.

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303 Words | 2 Pages

War is a topic most people have a strong opinion on. Most people clearly show if they are for a war or against it. Tim O`Brien the main character in the novel The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien was drafted to fight in the Vietnam War. O`Brien view of war is very similar to Henry David Thoreau, the author of “Civil Disobedience ”, view on the war. O’Brien was against the Vietnam War and in his own words says, “ I was drafted to fight a war I hated (O`Brien 40)”.

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The soldiers in the Vietnam War are portrayed as losing themselves in the chaos and trauma of combat. Through the stories of the soldiers and their experiences, O’Brien explores the ways in which war strips away one's sense of identity and humanity. The author himself is depicted as losing himself in the war. O'Brien served in the Vietnam War, and his experiences inspired much of the book. Through the character of Tim O'Brien, the author explores the ways in which war can strip away one's sense of self and purpose.

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The novel The Things They Carried, by Tim O’Brien, illustrates the effect that war has on soldiers, and how their age and immaturity contribute to their experiences. Although their age does not excuse their actions, it is important to understand the impact that being put into war at such a young age has on them. Though the age of the soldiers does not excuse their actions, being put into a high-risk situation while their brains were still developing made for immature decisions that later lead to major consequences.   The first chapter sets the scene for the rest of the book because it introduces the idea of death, more specifically, the death of Ted Lavender.

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In the chapter “The Man I Killed” O’Brien killed a man he felt should not have been killed. Kiowa helps O’Brien through it. “I'm serious. Nothing anybody could do. Come on, stop staring” (O’Brien 120).

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774 Words | 4 Pages

War has a profound and lasting impact on individuals and society. In “The Things They Carried” by Tim O’Brien, he tells different stories of before, during and after war and how it affects the soldiers, mentally and physically. In these stories Tim O’Brien illustrates these traumas and the long-lasting effects and impact that the war will always have on these men. Even though all the men didn’t survive the ones that did continue to have traumatic flashbacks. War has a lasting impact on individuals and society, affecting not only the physical but the mental and emotional well-being of those involved.

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1351 Words | 6 Pages

The Effects of War: The Things They Carried When people are asked to describe the “why” behind something, they tend to come up with a handful of answers. This is normal, and many things do in fact have multiple factors behind them. However, when asked for a single reason, many tend to merely choose whichever of the previous answers they think fits the best. What should actually be done when approached with this sort of question is an analysis of what connects all of the different possible answers. If the core meaning -- the one, major thing that connects all other secondary answers -- is found, then that is the true answer to this question.

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688 Words | 3 Pages

He fought a war in Vietnam that he knew nothing about, all he knew was that, “Certain blood was being shed for uncertain reasons” (38). He realized that he put his life on the line for a war that is surrounded in controversy and questions. Through reading The Things They Carried, it was easy to feel connected to the characters; to feel their sorrow, confusion, and pain. O’Briens ability to make his readers feel as though they are actually there in the war zones with him is a unique ability that not every author possess.

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2119 Words | 9 Pages

War has and always will be the most powerful and prevalent happening. War has transformed and molded the world into what it is today. It can flip a country’s state in such a short amount of time whether it is in a positive or negative way. Also, the way people are affected personally, mentally, and physically change when war is present in any time of their life. Soldiers are some of the bravest men and women, they sacrifice their lives for the protection and stability of their country.

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