The Things They Carried

The Things They Carried

I’m not into reading stories that involve war but when I read Tim O’Brien’s The Things They Carried I was in suspense and wanted more. I was attached to the main character Lieutenant Cross from the beginning of the first chapter. The chapter was the start of a Lieutenant’s strong love for someone. Cross was in love with a woman named Martha and he wasn’t sure she loved him. I took it as one of those sappy love stories of a friend being in love with their best friend. In just one chapter I learned so much about the main character and what was ahead which leaves me wanting more.
The chapter was an introduction to the men and Lieutenant Cross and what they carried through Vietnam. They had so many pounds of materials they needed to help them through the war like clothing, bandages, ammo, and helmets and they still found the strength to carry more. Cross carried the letters of his love Martha. It broke my heart because I thought of all the men who had memoirs of home like pictures and knick knacks they carried through war.
The letters that Martha wrote Cross were carried with him though the hell and chaos of war and a letter that Martha didn’t think was so symbolic was helping Cross bare with all the death and homesickness. When I think about war I don’t think about the soldiers who go to sleep crying at night or the ones who hold on to a picture of their families with their lives because it’s their only reminder of home, I’m not sure if anyone does. The first chapter of The Things They Carried really opened my eyes, there is a war going on now and there are possibilities that people I love could go to Iraq and be in Lieutenant Cross’ shoes. When I see all the American flags and people strongly supporting our soldiers I know why they do. Soldiers leave people they love to fight for people they don’t even know personally. There are so many soldiers fighting right now that have never seen my face but they are fighting to keep me and my country safe. I feel more impacted now than I ever have about war because I only saw the pictures. Now that I have went as far as reading personal stories I feel for our soldiers.