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Things They Carried Death Quotes

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Death, especially of a close family member or friend, can cause one to lose hope. Death could include a loss of a loved one, a loss of oneself, or a loss of a passion. In The Things They Carried, Tim O’Brien reveals the significance of death each soldier must come to terms with and the impact that death has on them, their character, and their actions. Each soldier carries objects that represent who they are, what they long for, and what they love. This is what remains constant for the boys in a world of war and death. War and death go together like lightning and thunder. With one comes the other. Each death impacts the soldiers who are left behind. Some of the deaths include Lavender, Kiowa, love, and distractions. Ted Lavender is killed outside of Than Khe, this is one of the first deaths, and it …show more content…

It also marks the death of dignity, sanity, and innocence. Norman Bowker, one of the young soldiers, hung himself in the YMCA locker room of his hometown because he struggled to find meaning in his life after the war. Before he performs this act however, he writes a letter to O’Brien explaining his internal struggles when he returns home: “ a guy who feels like he got zapped over in that shithole. A guy who can’t get his get his act together and just drives around town all day and can’t think of any damn place to go and doesn’t know how to get there anyway. This guy wants to talk about it, but he can’t….” Bowker feels that he has lost a sense of purpose because of the war; he no longer has drive or ambition and this can be contributed to the horrific images and situations he experienced during the war. For O’ Brien, the war signified the death of his pride. He did not want to go to the war at first, but because of outside influences and the fear of possible consequences, he chose to go despite his beliefs. For these soldiers, death happens to more than just physical

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