Analysis Of Tim O Brien s The Things They Carried

There were many things the soldiers carried with them during the Vietnam War. They carried guns and ammo, rations and canteens, and things necessary for survival. The soldiers also carried letters, photographs and land of Vietnam itself. Tim O’Brien tells of this in The Things They Carried, a book detailing the lives of the soldiers in Vietnam through the things the men carried with them. Not everything the men carried was physical, however. The soldiers carried ghosts, memories, and burdens. Everyone carried something that shaped who they were. Above all else, however, all of the soldiers carried the themes of love and war, fact and fiction, and individuals versus the collective. When thinking of war, love isn’t often the first word one†¦show more content†¦In regards to Cross after the death of Lavender, it is stated, â€Å"He felt shame. He hated himself. He had loved Martha more than his men, and as a consequence, Lavender was now dead†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Oâ₠¬â„¢Brien 16). This shows the problems the men faced when trying to balance love and war. Another example of the divisive coexistence of love and war can be seen in the story of Mark Fossie and his girlfriend Mary Anne, who came to Vietnam to be with him. When Mary Anne arrived in Vietnam, she was young and innocent. She quickly took a fascination with the war, however, and joined in the fighting. This vastly changed her as a person, much to the dismay of Mark. It is stated in the book, â€Å"’The girl joined the zoo. One more animal-end of story.’† (O’Brien 107) This is capitalized upon when Mary Anne came back from a night of patrol with a necklace of human tongues around her neck. Though Mark and Mary Anne were set to be married at one point, Mary Anne eventually disappeared into the night becoming more of a legend than anyone’s fiancà ©e with war winning out over love once again. The war also blurred the lines between fact and fiction for the soldiers. One such example can be seen in the actions of the men. While they woke up every day terrified of meeting their demise, they carried themselves with dignity and acted as if nothing bothered them, not because they were truly fearless, but rather