Lecture Notes on "The Things They Carried" by Tim O'Brien

Introduction

• Title: The Things They Carried
• Author: Tim O'Brien

Main Themes

1. The Burden of War

   • Physical and emotional burdens soldiers carry in Vietnam.
   • The weight of tangible items (e.g., weapons, letters) and intangible burdens (e.g., fear, memories).

2. Love and Memory

   • Lieutenant Jimmy Cross's obsession with Martha.
   • The role of memory in coping with the war.

3. Reality vs. Perception

   • Blurring lines between truth and fiction.
   • Stories as a means of processing experiences.

Key Character Summaries

• Lieutenant Jimmy Cross: Carries letters from Martha; struggles with leadership and his obsession with her.
• Kiowa: Devout Baptist, carries a New Testament; dies in a sewage field.
• Ted Lavender: Carries tranquilizers; represents fear and fragility.
• Rat Kiley: Medic who deals with mental strain.
• Norman Bowker: Struggles with post-war life and memories of Kiowa's death.

Significant Events

1. Death of Ted Lavender

   • Shot outside Than Khe; affects Cross deeply.

2. Kiowa's Death

   • Dies in a sewage field; significant impact on the platoon.

3. Letters to Martha

   • Cross burns the letters after Lavender's death; symbolizes letting go.

4. The Field Trip

   • Return to Vietnam with the narrator’s daughter; offers a contrasting perspective to the past.

Literary Techniques

• Metafiction: Blending of reality and fiction.
• Symbolism: Items carried symbolize deeper emotional and psychological burdens.
• Imagery: Vivid descriptions of the Vietnam landscape and war experiences.

Moral and Philosophical Questions

• Nature of courage and cowardice.
• Impact of war on human psyche and relationships.

Conclusion

• The novel explores the complexities of war and the enduring impact on soldiers.
• It challenges readers to consider the nature of storytelling and memory in understanding human experiences.