Tim O'Brien's "The Things They Carried"

Response to Tim O’Brien
“The Things They Carried”

Now that I have had the opportunity to read about war, my perspective is completely different. I have always stayed away from war stories because I don’t want to know what war is really about. I have a great deal of respect for all the men and women that go out there to defend our country. After reading the stories, I have a much better understand mentally and visually about what they have to go through each day and night. It’s like it is never ending for them when on the war front. In the story “They Things They Carried”, by Tim O’Brien, the emotions were so real to me that it gave me chills. The bond that these men seem to have grown together is unimaginable to us unless you are there with them. Even though Lieutenant Cross is so in love with this girl Martha, he still has to manage to stay strong and steady for his men. The description of all the items that they carried with them seemed to be never ending as well. To get through each day it seems like they have to put their emotions aside while in battle because that might cause them their life. When one of the men was describing how he cut off the boys dead finger, I couldn’t fathom why someone would do that and have no remorse, but after reading what they are all going through and seeing how tough it is for them when one of their men falls right in front of them, I could understand why. I do believe that it is a good thing that these men and women are willing to go out there and fight for us and their country, because I think if they wouldn’t then we wouldn’t have the freedom we have today. In this chapter, they didn’t only describe what they were carrying, but deeply expressed how their feelings were and how they carried them as well. This was a great way to get the book going and wanting you to read more.
http://articles.latimes.com/1990-03-11/news/vw-490_1_war-stories