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Mortality In The Things They Carried By Tim O Brien

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The Things They Carried is a war novel written by former soldier Tim O’Brien. This novel is a depiction of experiences that O’Brien endured while serving in the war. This powerful and unique novel expresses many themes such as mortality, bravery, and the weight of physical and emotional burdens, which help weave together the horrors of life as a soldier.
In The Things They Carried, being a story about war, the theme of mortality is written many times throughout the book. One notable example of mortality is expressed in the first chapter “The Things They Carried”. First Lieutenant Jimmy Cross carries letters from a girl named Martha that he loves from back at college. Martha ends her letters with “Love, Martha”. Lieutenant Cross thinks over and over again about this line, though he doesn't believe she loves him. Cross can't accept Martha's love because he fears that he will die in the war, thinking she writes out of pity, that Martha is only writing to him because she feels bad that he risked his life to fight in the war and he could die any day. …show more content…

O’Brien illustrates that having a sense of pride and to be beaming with bravado is very important to the soldiers. One prominent example of the theme bravery is told in the chapter “The Dentist”. An army dentist is flown in to check the men’s teeth. While the group of soldiers is waiting to be called in to see the dentist, Curt Lemon becomes very nervous. When Lemon is called into the dentist he faints before the dentist can even touch him. Curt is mortified. The shame and embarrassment start to drive Lemon up a wall, and he curses himself for his fear. At night Lemon goes back to see the dentist, complaining of a terrible toothache. The dentist sees nothing wrong and pulls out a healthy tooth. The embarrassment became too much that Curt was compelled to act, he felt he must be brave and prove to himself and the other that he isn’t a

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