Kelsie Morris

Ms. Hunt

ENGLISH 11

April 18, 2017

The Things They Carried (1990): Cant Fight This Feeling

Narrative becomes the way you make sense of chaos. Thats how you focus the world.

Its the only reason you should ever try this writing job (Dennis Lehane). Many authors around

the world choose key narrative elements to include in their pieces of literature. These elements

describe scenes and experiences that have not been lived by many people or some that many

individuals cannot imagine. An authors writing abilities heavily rely on their ability to write

with well thought out narrative and can most of the time lead these authors to success or failure.

According to the Merriam Websters Online Dictionary, the term narrative can be defined as:

The representation in art of an event or story told(www.merriam-webster.com). In other words,

the term narrative can be described as: the great detail of elements such as plot, characters,

setting, literary devices and point of view in literary art, in order to mentally paint a picture,

make the story transparent and leave the audience in deep contemplation. Tim OBrien was born

in 1946 and earned his bachelors degree in political sciences from the Malcalester college.

OBrien was against every aspect of the war but was conscripted and sent to serve in Vietnam

where he served two years which changed him for the rest of his life. Tim OBriens influential

novel titled The Things They Carried (1990), demonstrates how narrative elements have the

ability to make a story distinguished. This can be proven through its detailed setting, the life

seeming divergent characters and the well thought out literary devices that help electrify the

overall plot line.

 To begin with, Tim OBriens instrumental novel titled The Things They Carried (1990),

illustrates how narrative elements such as, a detailed setting has the ability to make a story

unforgettable. Throughout the collection of linked short stories in The Things They Carried

(1990), the protagonist speaks of enduring experiences in Vietnam. The protagonist hints: Im

a writer now, and a long time ago I walked through Quang Ngai province as a foot soldier

(OBrien 171). Along with the novel being set in Vietnam, it also describes a time of war, which

tells the audience that the story is placed during the Vietnam war. The novel states: He was

under the mud and water, folded in with the war (155). This information assists the audience

into a further understanding of the circumstances of this novel and the experiences that are being

told. Vietnam is the place in which the story takes place. However, the atmosphere that is

described in Vietnam allows for the audience to further understand and remember the story. The

atmosphere in many literary pieces can explain the mood of the characters or the overall scene.

An example from the novel is: The rains had fallen without stop [] the muck had now risen

thigh deep in the field along the river. A low, gray mist hovered over the land. Off to the west

there was thunder (155). This description of atmosphere describes a lonely foreboding mood,

meaning something tragic is about to occur. This scene hints to the audience that the characters

are unsettled, unhappy and anxious. Other examples are when the weather or atmosphere is

described as cold, purple, wet or blue. The author is more than often trying to explain that the

scene is sad, gloomy, isolated and leading to a tragedy. When the atmosphere is described as

bright, white or warm, the author is trying to help the audience understand that the scene is

happy, comfortable and at peace with recent events. These narrative elements help the story

evolve and become more memorable due to the detail and the double meanings of the setting.
Along with the setting of the novel, the dynamic characters also help prove the point that

narrative creates more of a significant story.

Moreover, Tim OBriens controversial novel titled The Things They Carried (1990),

exhibits how narrative elements such as divergent characters have the ability to make a story

memorable. The Things They Carried (1990), is a story of men during the war and the events that

occur during this war. The men that appear in this novel have meaningful reasons as to why they

are in the novel and what their position is to the author. One of the most influential characters in

this novel is the protagonist. The protagonist in this novel is the author, as it is told from personal

experiences and in the third person point of view. Throughout this novel, the protagonist suffers

great loss, experiences detrimental events and attempts at rejuvenation. The author suggests: he

crawled toward the screaming in the dark. The rain was hard and steady. Along the perimeter

there were quick burst of gunfire (142). This is an example of the events that the protagonist

endures. The audience reading this novel follows the protagonist and on the journey they begin

to feel pathos for this character. Other characters in this novel that help further explain the story

is the antagonist. The antagonist of this novel includes Vietnam and warfare. These two elements

represent the conflicts of man versus man, man versus society and man versus nature. The novel

states: listening to the rain and explosions and bubbling sounds. He was alone. Hed lost

everything [] he remembered this. He remembered wondering if he could lose himself (164).

The role of the antagonist causes the hardships experienced by the protagonist. Without an

antagonist character the story would have no conflict or resolution, making the piece of literature

have no clear point. The protagonist and antagonist are great roles in any piece of literature but

the minor characters also play a great role in remembrance. Some of the minor characters

represented in The Things They Carried (1990), include Rat Kiley. This character can be
considered a flat and or static character as they have a small part but have gone under permanent

change. During one of the interconnected stories, the author mentions that character Rat Kiley

was destroyed by the war. The author exclaims: With Rat Kiley, though, it was different [] at

first Rat just sank inside himself, not saying a word but then later onit flipped the other way,

He couldnt stop talking. Wacky talk, too [] His whole personality seemed out of kilter []

The next morning he shot himself (209-212). Although this character is only in the story for a

short period of time, his actions create a legacy that is left with the audience as it is very

distinguished. The characters in narrative writing help to fully encompass the point that the

author is trying to convey. These characters help make the story unforgettable as they all have

many sides and force the audience to feel pathos. Along with the divergent characters, the literary

devices used also helps literary pieces become significant to all individuals.

Furthermore, Tim OBriens dignified novel titled The Things They Carried (1990),

establishes how narrative elements such as genius literary devices have the ability to make a

story remarkable. Throughout the novel, literary devices such as symbolism, imagery and tone

are used frequently in order to make the story have more of an impact. Symbolism is present

within this novel when coming upon the field in which the protagonist was at war. This field

during the war represents death, isolation, dread and a low point in the life of the protagonist.

After the flashback when the protagonist re visits this field in the present, the field is changed

and becomes a symbol of the growth of the protagonist. The novel states: The field was still

there [] except for the few marshy spots along the river, everything was bone dry. No ghosts-

just a flat, grassy field. The place was at peace. There were yellow butterflies. There was a

breeze and a wide blue skythings were quiet (173). The objects described by the author can

symbolize many things. An example of this is the yellow butterflies. The author made these
butterflies yellow as this color symbolizes optimism, honor and clarity but at the same time

symbolizes fear, sickness and mildew. The field as a whole represents the place of clarity for the

protagonist and the growth of this character. Also, the author of this novel utilizes the literary

device of imagery to describe the scene into transparency. An example from the novel is: The

water rose to mid-chest, a deep greenish brown, almost hot. Small water bugs skipped along the

surface (178). Imagery allows for the author to explain to the audience what he wishes for

them to picture in their minds and what he wishes for them to think. Imagery is a great tool in

painting a picture inside the minds of the readers and can make a story more influential as the

audience have pictured it for themselves. Another literary device that is used more than often in

this novel includes tone. Tone is used in this novel to make the audience have an attitude and

feeling towards the scene and characters in a novel. The author suggests: Sanders glared at the

river. Move it, he said. Kiowas waiting on us. Slowly then, bending against the rain, Azar and

Norman Bowker and Mitchell Sanders began wading again through the deep waters, their eyes

down, circling out from where they had found the rucksack (160). Considering this statement,

the author might be trying to hint at the reader angst, frustration and sorrow. This forces the

audience to feel a certain attitude while reading a particular sentence. The literary devices of

symbolism, imagery and tone are used to make the audience picture what the author is trying to

say and to feel the emotions that they are reading.

In conclusion, Tim OBriens influential novel titled The Things They Carried (1990),

demonstrates how narrative elements have the ability to make a story distinguished. This can be

proven through its detailed setting, the life seeming divergent characters and the well thought out

literary devices that help electrify the overall plot line. The setting and all of its factors helps the

audience understand the mood of the characters and scene. The characters in this novel help the
readers remember the plot and feel sympathy for the characters and the events that they endure.

The literary devices of this novel help paint a translucent picture of what the author wishes for

the audience to believe. These literary devices are used strategically in order to amplify the scene

and the overall novel. All of these elements together are important in narrative as they create

what the story becomes to be and how the readers perceive what they are reading. Tim OBrien is

also the author of the award winning novel Northern Lights published in 1975. To conclude,

There are two ways to share knowledge. You can push information out, or you can pull them in

with a story (Anonymous).

 Works Cited

Narrative. Merriam Websters Online Dictionary. April 13, 2017. WEB.

www.merriam-webster.com/narrative.

Tim OBrien. Famous Authors. April 14, 2017. WEB.

http://www.famousauthors.org/tim-obrien
 Highlights

1. What did you hope to accomplish with this writing?

During this writing I hoped to accomplish an understanding of the topic of narrative writing for

myself and understand how effective narrative supports a story.

2. What do you think you did well in this writing?

I believe that I have good supporting quotes within this piece of writing. I believe they connect

well with what I am trying to exhibit.

3. What are areas of weakness in this essay?

I believe some areas of weakness in this essay is the connection to the thesis and the addition of

information in the conclusion.

4. After the peer review and self revision, what are changes that you made?

After the peer review I noticed that I made minor spelling mistakes and due to that, I changed a

couple of sentences that were not worded properly after reading my essay out loud to another. I

also changed the placement of some commas and the structure of some paragraphs.