Zaha Alzaabi

English 11

Mrs. Hunt

April 17th, 2017

The Things They Carried (OBrien 1990)

Storytelling involves the effective usage of various elements and

images to reveal the story, encouraging the readers imagination and making

it an interactive form of art and literature. This form of art becomes

significant when the author tries to innovate the usage of elements such as:

plot, setting, characters, point of view, and literary devices. Tim OBrien, like

many other astonishing authors, tries to creatively utilize these elements

throughout the chapters of his remarkable work of literature, The Things

They Carried. OBrien creatively combines narrative elements across

chapters to effectively tell a story. He does so by illustrating the scenery of

the plot, displaying the characters emotions and growth, and using effective

literary devices to give power and flow to the story.

To begin with, the author starts the chapters by illustrating a scenery of

the setting. He talks about the environment describing the details of the

land, weather and subjects surrounding him. The author sets the mood

through the setting, and it is a very realistic mood. The author starts by

describing the weather and the environment he and his men are in, The rain

had fallen without stop, and the Song Tra Bong had overflowed its bank, and

the muck had now risen high-deep in the field along the river. A low, gray
mist hovered over the land. Off to the west there was thunder, soft little

moaning sounds, and the monsoon seemed to be a lasting element of the

war (OBrien 1990). Through this description of the setting, the audience

can expect what the story is talking about and what the situation the

characters where in. Therefore, the audience can easily visualize the plot and

what the story will be about. The setting is a very important element to the

story. While most of the story take place in the Vietnamese jungle, each story

has its own unique setting. If the chapter is not in a different physical setting,

then the social settings may vary quite a bit. Hence, making this story more

effective and impactful.

Moreover, the author displays the characters emotions and growth,

and portrays them differently. In this novel, O'Brien, the author himself is the

protagonist. He is a Vietnam veteran narrating his experiences during the

war. He is also the writer of the novel, and is examining the techniques

behind writing stories. These two aspects of the novel are put together with

different contrasting effects to produce a work of literature that discusses not

only the war, but also the art of fiction and means of storytelling. Through

writing about his experiences in Vietnam, O'Brien's character is able to find a

platform in which he can figure out his emotions, since "by telling stories,

you objectify your own experience. You separate it from yourself. You pin

down certain truths" (OBrien 1990). He does not look at it as a way to treat

his emotionally disturbed self, but as a way to recount his stories since they

are a part of his past, and who he is now is the result of those stories and
memories. O'Brien also helps his audience connect with his characters. The

beauty in doing so lies in his primary objective in the novel and that is to

make readers feel the story he presents as much as it is physically and

emotionally possible, as if it were real. He presents each characters personal

view on the war, and their experiences. He also presents each aspect of their

personalities as much as possible. The language and connotation of each

character holds their physical and emotional sides. All of this is supposed to

be processed in his readers' imaginations so that they can begin to feel the

physical weight of the burdens of war, as well as, eventually, the

psychological and emotional burdens as much as it is possible for a non-

witness of the war to perceive. The usage of his characters in this way helps

bring the story to life, evokes a real response to the readers as well as helps

the author tell the story of war.

Furthermore, the author uses numerous literary devices to effectively

tell his story and bring it to life. Some of these devices include, but are not

limited to, symbolism, tone and themes, and juxtaposition. The author uses

the symbolism of characters more frequently throughout the chapters. For

example, Tim O'Brien, the protagonist, symbolizes memory and storytelling,

two central themes of the novel. Kiowa, O'Brien's closest friend in Vietnam

and who is killed in battle, symbolizes the wastefulness of war. Lt. Jimmy

Cross, the leader of the troop, personifies mental escapism and the ability to

project one's mind somewhere else to escape from an undesirable situation.

Instead of concentrating on the war, Lt. Cross occupies his mind with other
memories. Another example is in the chapter "Field Trip", when O'Brien goes

back to Vietnam and to the sewage field to honor Kiowa's memory and to

introduce his daughter, Kathleen, to the place that owns such a large part of

his soul. Kathleen symbolizes modern America. She's young and doesn't

really remember the war. She represents the present as well as the future.

Symbolism is one of the most effective and powerful elements that Tim

OBrien uses to create an impactful story. The author also tries to set the

tone of the book through the themes. Such themes include, Physical and

emotional burdens, fear, and mortality and death. All these themes set the

tone for war and the situation the characters were surrounded by. The author

also uses an effective literary device which is juxtaposition. In the chapter In

the Field, the author gives a description of the dark misty night and how the

environment was muddy, wet and disgusting. However, In the chapter Field

Trip the environment is completely different. It is sunny and dry and the

environment is not as disgusting as the author recalls. The purpose of

making this comparison is to make the readers think about not only the past

but also the present and the future. Therefore, creating an effective mean of

storytelling.

Overall, the author tries to illustrate a scenery of the setting, display

the characters emotions and growth, as well as use numerous literary

devices to create a strong impactful story. These techniques signify Tim

OBrien style of writing and what he wants his audience to experience

through his work. It helps the readers understand his message and what he
is trying to get across. Therefore, The Things They Carried is an

unforgettable distinguished piece of literature.