Physical Burdens In The Things They Carried

Summer Woitalla

Ms. Sauer

Intro to Literature

3 April 2023

“The Things They Carried” Analysis A pencil weighs 0.02 ounces; a laptop weighs 3.5 pounds; a phone weighs 8.84 ounces; college students are often seen carrying these items with them on a daily basis. Published in 1986, “The Things They Carried” is a short story written by author Tim O’Brien. “The Things They Carried” follows a platoon of soldiers on the ground during the Vietnam War. The story describes the physical burdens the soldiers had to carry such as weaponry and rations, along with the emotional burdens such as love and loss (375-390). This story is significant because it gives readers an insight to the difficulties faced by soldiers that may not be recognized by many. The

“Many of his [Tim O’Brien’s] novels and stories draw on his experiences during the war” (Gardner 1332-1333). Authors may feel as though they have a unique perspective on an event because they witnessed it first hand and know details about the event that few others do. Tim O’Brien was promoted to sergeant during the Vietnam war and later decorated with a purple heart (Gardner 1332-1333). Tim O’Brien was a high ranking enlisted man in the Vietnam war. One can assume there were times he had to make difficult decisions for his platoon and himself. More than likely, if a decision he made led to injury or death of one of his men, Tim O’Brien likely took on a great deal of quilt or emotional burden. “Our unit lost a lot of guys around My Lai, but the stories they told stayed after them. I would be mad not to tell the stories I know” (“Tim O’Brien Biography”). Tim O’Brien may have felt the need to tell his fallen comrades stories since they were not around to tell them themselves. He may have felt it was his responsibility to keep them and their memories alive, since he was not able to do so on the battlefield. Tim O’Brien knew personally the emotional burdens soldiers carried on the

Evidence. The entirety of the short story “The Things They Carried” takes place during the Vietnam war. One can make the assumption, even without any knowledge of the Vietnam war, that soldiers fighting in the war carried both physical and emotional burdens. Being a soldier in a war comes with inescapable physical burdens such as carrying weapons and other necessary supplies. One can also assume that being a soldier fighting in war may also come with feelings of loss and guilt. Being away from family and friends can be difficult, even more so with the stress that may be imposed by war. Loss is a feeling that almost all soldiers most certainly feel. Some soldiers may also carry feelings of