Most of the men are common, low-rank-ing soldiers and carry a
standard M- 16 assault rifle and several magazines of ammunition
. Several men carry grenade launchers.
What the men carried in The Things They Carried?
Dave Jensen carries
a toothbrush, dental floss, and soap
. Ted Lavender (“who was scared”) carries tranquilizers. Mitchell Sanders carries condoms. Norman Bowker carries a diary. Rat Kiley carries comic books.
What common secret do the men carry in the things they carried?
They carried the
common secret of cowardice barely
restrained, the instinct to run or freeze or hide, and in many respects this was the heaviest burden of all, for it could never be put down, it required perfect balance and perfect posture.
What is the first item listed in the things they carried?
Here is a list from the first chapter:
mosquito repellent
, marijuana, pocket knives, chewing gum, a girlfriend’s pantyhose, marijuana, tranquilizers, the New Testament, a compress in case of fatal injuries, a two-pound poncho that can be used as a raincoat, groundsheet, or tent, a standard M-16 assault rifle and …
What does Tim O’Brien carry in the things they carried?
Tim O’Brien: I carried all the standard military stuff:
grenades, ammo, an M16, sometimes an M60
. Letters from mom, dad. Letters from a girl back home. More than the physical, I carried incredible terror with every single step I took.
What is the message of The Things They Carried?
The primary theme in the novel The Things They Carried is
the burdens we all carry
. The first chapter of the novel is dedicated to the physical and emotional burdens the men carried with them as they marched: the guns, the gear, the photos, the letters, the hope, the fear, the memories, and the guilt.
What does Lee Strunk carry emotionally?
Lee Strunk. Physically Carries:slingshot,
ammo
. Emotionally/Psychologically Carries: Important Events/Actions: Makes a pact with Jensen about killing each other but then they make another pact about not killing each other. Steps on a mortar and looses his leg.
Why do men go to war according to O Brien?
O’Brien contends that barely restrained cowardice is a common secret among soldiers. He debunks the notion that men go to war to be heroes. Instead, he says, they go
because they are forced to and because refusal equals cowardice
.
What is the heaviest burden of all?
O’Brien describes
the weight of fear in particular
as “the heaviest burden of all, for it could never be put down.”
What was the heaviest burden of all what was the soldier’s greatest fear?
They carried the soldier’s greatest fear, which was
the fear of blushing
. Men killed, and died because they were embarrassed not to.”
What does Martha symbolize in The Things They Carried?
In “The Things They Carried” by Tim O’Brien, Martha to Cross represents
an idealized version of the life he has left behind at home
. Fantasizing about her allows him to at least partially shut out the horrible realities of war that are all around him.
What is a soldier’s greatest fear?
–
Being coward
is a soldier’s greatest fear.
What is the mood of The Things They Carried?
The tone of The Things They Carried is
non-judgmental and intimate
. Violent and upsetting incidents are recounted straightforwardly, as well as the effects they had on the characters. The author refrains from strong emotion in the text, allowing the events and their effects alone to resonate with readers.
| Tim O’Brien | Battles/wars Vietnam War | Awards Purple Heart |
|---|
Why is The Things They Carried banned?
Unfortunately, the book was listed in the “Banned Books” for
its vulgar language, sexual content, and violence
that was considered “unacceptable for an educational setting” (according to school board members of George County in Mississippi,) despite the protests of teachers and parents.
Did Tim O’Brien actually go to war?
From February 1969 to March 1970 he served as infantryman with the U.S. Army
in Vietnam
, after which he pursued graduate studies in government at Harvard University. He worked as a national affairs reporter for The Washington Post from 1973 to 1974.
