The+Things+They+Carried

Katheren Pomera March 16, 2009 English Homework 11th Grade- 2nd Period   **//“The Things They Carried”//** by Tim O’Brien was a series of short stories about soldiers in Vietnam. Tim O’Brien was an American soldier who was drafted to the Vietnam War. O’Brien had a wonderful life, he received an acceptance letter to attend Harvard University and his whole life was already planned. However, the news of him going to Vietnam War changed his present and future life. O’Brien tried to run away but failed to so. Ever since the Vietnam War experience, O’Brien started writing books about wars. In his book “//The Things They Carried”//, the stories showed not only the war but also the lives of the soldiers and how the war changed them mentally.  War is mostly viewed as a battle field where people fight and die. Soldiers who fight in wars are sometimes viewed as murderers who sometimes kill innocent civilians. However, the story in between the fighting and killing is mostly missed out. People tend to forget that most of the soldiers don’t even want to be part of the battle field. O’Brien’s stories revealed his life and soldiers’ lives, and what loneliness and depression can do to a person’s behaviors. Post traumatic stress disorder is what soldiers usually gain from fighting in a war and there are many factors that led to that state of mind.  These soldiers left their free lives in their hometowns and the only memoirs they could bring of their loved ones are photos, letters, clothes or other significant objects. The things that the soldiers carried mostly represent their true nature. One of the soldiers that O’Brien mentioned was Kiowa. Kiowa was a young boy who carried a bible given by his father. There are two meaning that could symbolize the bible, one is Kiowa’s religious nature and two is comfort. Since his father gave him the bible, the value of the bible would be heavier. Though the objects that the soldiers carry could not protect them from the harm but it provided them comfort and love from their loved ones. The items reminded them that they will always have homes to return to, and getting out of the war and going back to their families alive is an important matter.  Over all, the entire book granted readers the chance to witness the events that happened to the soldiers in the Vietnam War. In the text, O’Brien mentioned his method of easing the pain that one may feel when experiencing death, and that is by telling their stories of when they were alive. One best way to interpret O’Brien’s works is that he writes stories about the soldiers to keep them alive and to remind readers of what happened to the soldiers and to the other people that was once part of his life. Also, one can emotionally connect to others just by story-telling and I think O’Brien was trying to connect with his daughter, and make her understand his past and let her know why he writes stories about wars.