The Things They Carried Tim OBrien Symbolism Dead

The Things They Carried ~ Tim O’Brien Symbolism: – Dead Vietnamese Soldier: guilt inside the basic nature of mankind… – The Young Water Buffalo: end of innocence – Linda: looking at the past; maintaining faith/sanity through storytelling…

Major Themes – Burdens (the “things” we carry…) u Emotional u Physical – The Ultimate Motivator: Shame u What compels each of us to avoid shame? – Subjectivity of Truth u Is there truly any objectivity?

Motifs: recurrent literary structures – Loneliness and Isolation u How does this affect the characters? You? – Storytelling u Is “everything” really just another story? – Situational Morality u How do we get to the point of “it depends? ”

What is the correct answer?

Storytelling From “Notes” pp. 157 -158: “Telling stories seemed a natural, inevitable process, like clearing the throat. Partly catharsis, partly communication, it was a way of grabbing people by the shirt and explaining exactly what had happened to me. …By telling stories, you objectify your own experience. You separate it from yourself. You pin down certain truths. You make up others…” What is the connection between storytelling and dreams?

Paired Discussion u What is a “Burden? ” – Consider: How do physical burdens differ from emotional ones? – How do we acquire burdens? – How do we escape our burdens? – LOOK FOR QUOTES! LOOK FOR PASSAGES! LOOK FOR MORE QUOTES!

Tim’s Quandary u If you were in “The Boat” would you make the decision to evade the draft by going to Canada, or would you return to the United States? Why? (consider: what does your struggle represent? )