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Summary Of The Things They Carried By Tim O Brien

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In the novel The Things They Carried (1990) and in the TED Talk Why veterans miss war (2014) Tim O’Brien, a critically acclaimed veteran and writer, and Sebastian Junger, an American war veteran and journalist, respectively claim that “brotherhood” is an important factor of war, therefore contributing to why some veterans miss the war when they return to civilization. O’Brien elaborates on his belief by apprising a tale of a lieutenant who faces trauma after his soldier dies (it wouldn’t help Lavender, but from this point on he [Lieutenant Cross] would comport himself as an officer) along with Junger who tells an anecdote of his friend, Brendan O’Byrne, who “realized he couldn’t protect his men when one of them was hit by a bullet and that …show more content…

Ultimately, the companionship made at war is an important reason why soldiers miss war. Junger voices that a “connection to the other man he was with” is something that helps a soldier continue day by day. Talking. Eating. Playing. Sleeping. Fighting for their lives together. When a soldier is doing these actions with another person day in and day out, an attachment is formed that can be stronger than even family ties. This is a strong motive for why a soldier may not want to leave. In addition to Junger’s voice, Tim O’ Brien wrote a passage that illustrates the feelings of those who lose this connection. “I felt something shift inside me. It was anger, partly, but it was also a sense of pure and total loss: I didn't fit anymore.” Imagine being at someone’s side for the better part of a few years just to be cut away from that person, losing all companionship, the mutual respect and promise of protection has dissipated and what remains is bitter alienation. It will cause the toughest soul to desire the camaraderie he once had. In essence, soldiers are thrown into situations where their lives depend on other people. Fairly tight bonds form and when soldiers return home, causing the ties to sever; solitude is experienced. This is why soldiers miss the

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