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Guilt In The Things They Carried By Tim O Brien

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In “The Things They Carried,” Tim O’Brien explores how war affects the mental state of those involved. O’Brien uses the things the soldiers carried with them through the war as symbols of how they dealt with their grief and guilt. The author focuses on Lieutenant Jimmy Cross and his attachment to his high school crush, using this obsession to showcase how some people cope with guilt by detaching themselves from their present situation. In addition, O'Brien uses shocking and detailed imagery to illustrate how the soldiers distracted themselves from their circumstances. O’Brien explores the theme that people carry guilt differently through his use of imagery and symbolism. O’Brien uses intense imagery and thorough descriptions to allow readers

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