The Things They Carriedby Tim O’Brien

Presentation of the story “The Things They

Carried”

Characters are Defined by What They Carry….

• Rank• Specialty in the field• Necessity (personal & professional)• Mission• Superstition• Reflects heritage, culture, personality

• Why the emphasis on what things weigh?

Examples of things characters carry:

• Rat Kiley: morphine, plasma, malaria tablets, surgical

tape (comic books, M&Ms)

• Kiowa: Bible, hatchet, & moccasins

• Lt. Jimmy Cross: maps, binoculars, compass, code books, .45 pistol

• What responsibility does Jimmy carry?

“They all carried ghosts” (9).

• Lt. Jimmie Cross:

(Martha vs his Men): (8, 11)*

Ted Lavender:

(extra ammo, dope, tranquilizers): (6)*

Norman Bowker:

(pressure from dad to earn a medal): (34)*

Superstitions• Jimmy Cross: Pebble from Martha

• Dave Jensen: Rabbit’s foot

• Henry Dobbins: Girlfriend’s stockings

• Kiowa: Bible, hatchet

• Norman Bowker: Thumb from corpse

Attitudes about Death

• Use Harsh, Crude language: Ted Lavender was “zapped while

zipping” (16).• Make Jokes• Kick or mutilate corpses• Can’t show fear, sadness, or remorse• What happens to Ted’s dope? (19-20)*• Appreciation for still being alive (Kiowa “enjoyed not being dead”) (17).

Jimmy Cross Begins Changing

• Feels extreme GUILT over Ted Lavender’s death.

• Burns Martha’s Letter & Pictures

• Realizes Martha’s True Feelings (23)*

• As a moral obligation to Ted Lavender, focuses on becoming a better leader

(24)*

3 Final Considerations!

1. Besides the physical things, what emotional burdens do these guys carry? (20)

2. Why is the appearance of “a warm dense fog” (16) important in this story?

3. What do the initials in the name

Jimmy Cross suggest about the burden he carries?