The Things They Carried

Tim Obrien's "The Things They Carried" is written in the direction of a collection of short stories or a stream of consciousness both representing the horrors of the Vietnam War, as well as the identity and life experiences of each soldier. The setting of course takes place in a war zone however Obrien is careful to dive into the lives of several solider characters. The details go from distant memories, to wishful thinking (Jimmy Cross' infatuation with a college girl named Martha), as well as tiny details of what each soldier brings with them on their dangerous journey. Most of the time Obrien describes these items in simply a bland, materialistic way; however there is also an underlying meaning behind them which may make an allusion to the title "Things They Carried." The things they carry can represent both fragments of their former selves before being conformed to warfare, and stripped down to a uniform and a gun, as well as burdens they may carry with them. These burdens may be a result of what happened in their pasts or past regrets, or they could be burdens of warfare, and traumatizing events that most likely took place within the jungles of Vietmam during such a bloody war. Overall Obrien's writing techniques revolve mostly around a sort of stream of consciousness narrative while revolving around the lives, emotions, and pasts of several soldiers, that are most likely designed to become relatable to the reader.