Responsibility Of Soldiers In Tim O Brien's The Things They Carried

Even though soldiers are able to distract themselves from the horrors that they witness on the front, war psychologically damages them and creates the “lost generation”. The young men find it increasingly difficult to think and act with the mindset of a civilian. In war, the men only experience despair, death, and fear, so their mind is enveloped by negative thoughts that

Narrowly escaping death or seeing their comrades’ die has an everlasting effect on soldiers. Soldiers have to live with the constant fear of dying and anxiety. “They took up what others could no longer bear. Often, they carried each other, the wounded or weak.” (O’Brien 14)

In chapter one of The Things They Carried, the author, Tim O’Brien discusses how war influences soldiers psychologically. The vivid description of the “things” each soldier carries tells a story. Thoughts, memories, and physical items are extremely valuable in their abnormal situation. These possessions are the only things the soldiers have and mean everything to them. No training or life experience could have prepared them for what they endure in war. Soldiers grasp onto these shreds of hope from their past as a reminder of the outside world. There is no escape from this place of constant fear and death. Here, death is unpredictable and sudden and the soldiers are forced to carry on. For example, when Lavender is shot dead by a hidden sniper,

“The Things They Carried” by Tim O’Brien is a short novel written about the American soldiers in the Vietnam War. The title carries two meanings; duties and equipment for the war and the emotional sorrows the soldiers were put through while at war. O’Brien discussed about the character’s wants and needs and that the constant worry of death was just a few of the emotional baggage they carried. War is never an easy thing to talk about, epically those who were involved. During the Vietnam War, being a soldier wasn’t easy. Soldiers always see death, whether it be another soldier or an enemy. In “The Things They Carried,” Tim O’Brien explores the motivation of solders in the Vietnam War to understand their role in combat, accepting the death

In “The Things They Carried” by Tim O’Brien one is subjected to the in workings of a soldiers mind during the Vietnam War. Although on the surface it may seem just a story of what soldiers carried with them throughout the war, tangible or not, a deeper understanding of what these men faced shines through. As a veteran of the Vietnam war O’Brien has insight that many will never know except through his many writings. His experience throughout the war was seen to shape his stories and “The Things They Carried” is no different. In this story one finds a comparison between the material and immaterial baggage accompanying the soldiers, the soldiers motivation due to their fellow soldier, the uncaring attitude that the war has imparted on the

The detrimental effects of war on soldiers coming home has been an issue since the beginning of war itself. It has been known by many names; shell shock during WWI, battle fatigue during WWII, and PTSD in modern times. The effects of war is an age old issue addressed in The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien. O’Brien uses women as a literary element by portraying women as fantasized for their innocence at first, but are really a metaphor to explain the changes that soldiers experience as a result of war, all to explore the damaging effects that war and PTSD have on the men fighting it.

War is an experience that is difficult to understand and describe. Imagine coming back from war and not having the love, comfort, or support from your loved ones to help you move on with your life. How would one feel in that situation? According to the way Tim O’Brien told the stories of the soldiers in The Things They Carried, they either knew how to cope or didn’t.

Douglas MacArthur once said “ the soldier above all others prays for peace, for it is the soldier who must suffer and bear the deepest wound and scars of war “ Wars from the past have shaped our culture and others have destroyed it. Love ones have said goodbye, not knowing it would be their last goodbye. In the short author Liam O’Flaherty includes the element of surprise that war can not only physical risk but psychological suffering.

In the short story “The Things They Carried”  by Tim O’Brien, he tells the story of the experiences of the soldiers. O'Brien uses symbolism in order to give us a message and helps us connect to what the soldiers are thinking and feeling mentally and physically.

A soldier 's survival in war depends on what he wears, and his life is just one step away from death. However, a soldier not only carries supplies, weapons, and equipment; a soldier also carries memories, amulets, ghosts of the past, and trivial objects that do not let him forget that there is another life beyond war. The Soldiers of Alpha Company, who fought in Vietnam, carry everything they could. And, those men and things are making their appearance in the story The Things They Carried by Tim O 'Brien, which also fought in Vietnam. Mr. O 'Brien tells how, after fleeing to Canada he decided to return to his community and agreed to go to war for shame, because he felt that, otherwise, he could not stand the looks of the people in his community, for whom a deserter was forever a traitor (O 'Brien 37). The Vietnam War was also a milestone in the history of the United States. The defeat was a deep blow to American pride and the belief that their nation was invincible; affected the confidence in their citizens. This feeling was also extended to the soldiers returning from Vietnam who were not welcome in his country, nor received a treatment like heroes. Many of these soldiers went through great difficulties readjusting to family life; according to data from the Department of Veterans Affairs, half a million of them suffer psychological changes related to the experiences of war. The Vietnam syndrome left indelible marks on a

In the documentary and the book The Things They Carried by Tim O’brien, there was one recurring idea that I noticed in both. It was the major role that guilt & fear during the war played on these soldiers. Whether it was in or out of their control, the soldiers encountered some sort of guilt and fear that greatly impacted them as individuals.

We have all seen or read about the political and social upheavals caused by war. Some may have even experienced it first-hand. Throughout history war has had negative psychological implications on those effected. However, there is no greater negative impact of war than the psychological and emotional turmoil that it causes individual soldiers.

Simply stated, the inner-workings of war are unimaginable to a civilian. They cannot begin to fathom the effects of isolation from humanity that soldiers face once peacetime is declared. Civilians cheer and take pride in the victory of war, but in result, it is extremely difficult for them to understand the long road of mental recovery for the survivors after the war ends, as Tim O’Brien, author of The Things They Carried, explains, “The bad stuff never stops happening: it lives in its own dimension, replaying itself over and over” (O’Brien 31). After being isolated from civilian life for prolonged periods of time and constantly being exposed to traumatic experiences of death, it is nearly impossible for soldiers to relate with others who have not emotionally encountered war firsthand once they return home. This disconnection between ex-soldiers and civilians allows for a difficult and emotionally-draining transition back into daily life, where someone newly departing combat can feel distant and misunderstood by those who have not witnessed atmospheres of intense violence.

While each day goes by more of a risk is being taken by the soldiers, if one soldier goes down another is responsible to carry his load. Personal doubts, fears, and dreams. The internal things they carried were much more significant than the physical

The emotional effect of war on soldiers was not explored greatly until the 20th century where soldiers were studied psychologically. It was only at this point that it was understood how significant war can be on an individual. Conflict has a large psychological impact on those who have fought in war and PTSD is commonly associated with these people. Troops are at an extensively higher risk of suicide or thoughts of suicide, depression and PTSD. This common disorder causes the sufferer to experience/recall specific traumatic events of war and will react strongly to any reminder/aspect of life that reminds them of this distress previously experienced. As a result, victims’ lives are very isolated and vulnerable as they are tentative to go to social events