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Henry Dobbins Symbolism

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Something Most People Don't Realize In “Tim O'Brien's novel,” The Things They Carried, each soldier carries something different that makes them feel safe/something memorable, that helps them get through their time away from home. Whether it be stockings,dental floss,a picture, or even tranquilizers. Henry Dobbins for example carries Stockings/Pantyhose. In The Things They Carried, mainly every character carried things to help them get through these days on top of the equipment they had to carry. Jimmy Cross a Lieutenant, carried 2 pictures of a girl back home named Martha who he envisioned growing old with and settling down with, but instead he was out fighting for what had to be done. Kiowa an American Indian soldier was known for carrying …show more content…

The stockings are from his girlfriend/ex girlfriend. Throughout the book Dobbins refers to these stockings as good luck charms because no matter what he never seems to get hurt or even get a scratch on him. Henry says “Breathing in the scent from the pantyhose brings back good memories.Even after his girlfriend broke up with him we see that the stockings are still used as a good luck charm and are still protecting him. Dobbins we learn is a good man but very unsophisticated, he is told to be big, strong, and have good intentions, also we know he is known to be reliable and drawn to sentimentality. Although everyone makes fun of him for carrying the stockings, he tripped over a Bouncing Betty and it did not go off and he went into an Open Firefight put the stockings around his neck and was able to breathe clean …show more content…

Ted was scared of death the slow painful death. He was known for carrying tranquilizers with him wherever he went, incase things got too intense for him. Ted knew going to war could consist of death but that wasn't going to stop him even if he was scared. He just simply brought that one thing that was going to help him get through this and help him face his fear of the slow painful death that usually comes with war stories. Between the emotions,the thoughts of dying, the fear of having to do something they might not agree with, having to stay strong for there others,and keeping hold of there reputation, it all causes a lot of stress on each and every soldier, person out there protecting us.If you ever think about it they carry a whole host of complex feelings, you maybe never even know about because they hide them inside. But not only should you thank each and everyone of them at the end of the day you should remember they too have something on them that's helping them make it through their rough

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