The Things They Carried --- Personal Response

Personal Response

            After reading The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien, it was one of the most exhilarating war novels I have read. I enjoyed the unorthodoxy of this novel in that it did follow a traditional story of a soldier fighting in a war. Although it did have some elements of thrilling combat, I enjoyed how most of the novel is about the hardships of life in Vietnam and also how it transitions to real life for the soldiers. Reading the anecdote of Norman Baker and how his life was worthless without Vietnam I did not understand at first. That empty feeling of life that eventually lead to his suicidal death puts into perspective the mental toll of war. This greatly enhanced by respect for soldiers who are so mentally strong that they can endure such a traumatizing thing, such as war, in their lives.    

The imagery that O’Brien produces in the story can be borderline grotesque; but it also very realistic and makes the reader feel as if they are a soldier in the Vietnam War. O’Brien’s style is so vivid that I can imagine the bullets zooming by my head. Not only does O’Brien appeal to the physical nature of the war, he also reveals the mental conditions of each individual. It was interesting to read about how individual soldiers would use unusual methods to cope with the brutal nature of the war: Henry Dobbins would wear his girlfriend’s pantyhose as a scarf believing it had magical powers; Tom Lavender would get high off tranquilizers.

            My favorite chapter of the novel was O’Brien’s internal struggle of whether to fight in Vietnam. I found it very interesting that his final reason to fight in the war was because he would be ashamed not to. He was willing to risk his life and fight for a cause he disagreed with so he would not be perceived as a coward by his peers. This novel had the perfect mixture of both the physical and mental conflicts endured by a soldier during the Vietnam War. It was truly a great read.