¶ … Tim Obrien's "The Things They Carried" Short story College English (Literature) class. MLA Format.
Carried Away
There are several instances of repetition in Tim O'Brien's short story "The Things They Carried," which is actually the first chapter in a book he published with the same title. Rhetorically, the author uses both alliteration and anaphora (which is, respectively, the repetition of syllables and the repetition of words or phrases) to punctuate many of his paragraphs. However, O'Brien's usage of repetition actually plays a fairly integral role in his structuring of this particular tale, and even in providing a moral for this story centered around events that took place during the Vietnam War. The author utilizes repetition to emphasize various themes associated with this tale, such as the overwhelming burden of the physical and emotional strain of enduring this armed conflict. O'Brien's constant reliance upon repetition underscores the substantial burden of coping with the deleterious effects of the war, which is exemplified by the death of one of the company members and its leader's assignment of responsibility for that death.
By repeatedly referring to the personal life of the lieutenant in charge of the soldiers depicted in this short story, the author is able to indicate just how involved that officer was with a young lady, -- and how his involvement with her repeatedly distracted him from focusing on providing efficacious leadership for his troops. "The Things They Carried" both begins and ends with references...
It is a hotly contested idea that just one war-themed book can adequately discuss the topic of Vietnam, and this idea is properly portrayed in this book. Fellow authors like Renny Christopher have condemned Tim O'Brien's story for paying more attention to the misery of the American soldiers and less interest in the Vietnamese. However, the core of "The Things They Carried," O'Brien's work is distinct. Another author, Heberle, who
Kiowa's death also evokes the notion that for the U.S. Vietnam was a quagmire; his drowning functions almost emblematically to suggest America's deepening entanglement in Southeast Asia. 'This field,' O'Brien writes, 'had embodied all the waste that was Vietnam'" (Neilson 193). The entire book is an antiwar message, and it continues in the chapters and memories where O'Brien follows the men home after the war. The Chapter "Notes" follows Norman Bowker,
In short, it takes a little bravery to think about things in a serious manner and this includes our thoughts regarding courage. O'Brien writes, "Proper courage is wise courage (133) and it is also acting "wisely when fear would have a man act otherwise. It is the endurance of the soul in spite of fear -- wisely" (133). Courage is not something that can be conjured up on a
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Thematic Use of Power and Responsibility in Three Short Stories How can anyone possibly imagine how difficult waging war is without experiencing firsthand the horrors of being on the battlefield? The classics of Western literature have invariably been inspired by tales of soldiers sacrificing their lives valiantly, and today the harrowing stories told by soldiers returning from war are recreated, filmed and captured for posterity. One central concept, shared by all
Poe and the Imp of the Perverse The Imp of the Perverse Edgar Allan Poe is known for exploring the psychological constructs of horror and terror through his short stories. In Poe's "Imp of the Perverse," "The Tell-Tale Heart," and "The Black Cat," the respective narrators of these stories attempt to give a logical explanation for the manner in which they conducted themselves. Through these stories, Poe explores the impact a mental
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