The+Things+They+Carried+Lesson

__The Things They Carried__ was written by Tim O'Brien as a means for him to tell his story of what he experienced as an infantry soldier during his tour of duty during the Vietnam War. The story itself, is a fictional piece of work. However, the characters and events are largely based on the things that he experienced during the war. (The main character's name is also Tim O'Brien, although, the author says this is not a complete representation of his character during the war.) The book goes in depth into the mental anguish caused by war and is largely, reflective in nature.

To start off, please read the following quote: [|How To Tell A True War Story]. What do you think the author is trying to convey about the Vietnam War through this quote? (Write this down in your journal. Label this as #1.)

Next, read the following excerpt from __The Things They Carried__: What They Carried. How do you think the author views the soldiers of the Vietnam War? What does he think about the actual war itself? (Again, write this down and label this as #2.)

Finally, read the PDF file listed below. What do these items, that they carried with them, tell us about the soldiers and the war in general? Do you think this has any impact on how the American public viewed the war? Why or why not? (Label this as #3 in your journal.)



For those of you who are interested, here is an [|interview with Tim O'Brien] twenty years after he wrote the book.