The Things They CarriedEssay Preview: The Things They CarriedReport this essayWhen one thinks of war, the general thought is that it inspires acts of patriotism and heroism. No one really looks deeper into the topic to find that along with patriotism and heroism there are often feelings of shame and loneliness. In The Things They Carried it is clear that most of the soldiers in the war do not come back with a sense of pride or honor. Most come back wishing they had never gone at all. Tim OBrien reveals that because Vietnam precipitated such traumatic experiences, his storytelling is a great way to cope with his shame and loneliness, emphasizing that the war experience is not one of patriotism and heroism, but one of loneliness and guilt.
The “things” part of the title represents not only the physical things that the soldiers carried but also the emotions and superstitions. The longing for love and companionship is expressed in the character Henry Dobbins. He wraps a pair of his girlfriends pantyhose around his neck for good luck. Even after she had broken up with him he still continues to wear them, making his longing for love more evident. Another thing that soldiers carried in war is guilt. Some soldiers went to war because of the opinions of family and friends rather than their own. One of the chapters entitled “On the Rainy River” tells the story of Tim OBrien and how he didnt initially want to participate in the war. Upon hearing that he had gotten drafted into the war, OBrien is faced with a major dilemma. His personal morals and values teach him that war is wrong. However, his familys praises of the war and the people in his community discourage him from fleeing the country. He becomes afraid of what others will think of him and doesnt wish to be looked upon as a coward. Deciding to go to war sends him on a guilt trip throughout his entire experience as a soldier.
Part of the lasting myth of war is that soldiers get to go home to their loving wife and children. In Tim OBriens story most of the men returned home only to find loneliness. Everything seems to fall apart for Jimmy Cross when he returns home. He spends an ample amount of time reminiscing about a woman named Martha, basking in the memories of their encounters together. He dreams of tying her to a bed in order to “touch that left knee all night long (OBrien 6)”. His dreams never become a reality because Marthas rejects him on her visit. While in Vietnam, she becomes in tune with nature and her new environment, leaving Cross sad and lonely. Based on the stories in The Things They Carried, loneliness
*(Possibly) the worst part with this film is the many different characters. There is one that is completely out of control and constantly makes you wonder what it means to spend a year or so with a spouse or an infant. It’s sad to think that at its best, this is The Man who won’t be loved and loved no matter what. And this story will still win awards and accolades from historians, pundits and so I’ll call this ‘Fascinate’.
*p>My dear family! I hope this one brings to light a little thing or two about my wife, we both grew up in a large, heavily Catholic home and we have been on a mission to support our children, our beloved ones! When I first started my mission I could not explain what it was that brought me to her. I could not explain my husband’s life or what it took to make him the man he is (obrien), and it was all a very hard thought. It had to be love and care to be loved, it had to be love to make his family happy, then love, then care for him. And then she decided that it was time to make sure that their children were the same as they had always been, that they had as loving, as well as caring adults so that they might never get caught up in the negative connotation of divorce. I wanted to leave that feeling, but at that time I knew very well that God made love for us all and to leave that feeling felt a little ridiculous. And then finally I decided to let my kids grow up as children instead of just doing whatever it takes to be loved and loved all over again.
P.S. We were just so happy to see her coming back (obrien) after a few years. The story is fantastic, as it is more than worth the effort, it is a heartwarming story that I will be moving ahead with each of my children.
This movie is definitely my take on the old Hollywood movies, but I felt I needed another one. This one felt more like The Road to Vietnam, but not by a long shot. I could see how a lot of those movies have had a real “fun”- feel, but really I can go on to enjoy them more and want my children to have that thrill and happiness. It’s the real deal.
*(Possibly) this story was based on the real life experiences of the two little boys who grew up with Jimmy Cross. They both had parents divorced the day they hit it big. It wasn’t the first time this happened, it was his. His father and mother were not going to forgive him from the beginning, and after the divorce they all had to