“The Things They Carried,” begins with the introduction of characters as in most beginning chapters but O’Brien went about it in a unique way. Introducing each character by giving the reader an idea and explaining what each individual carried, and why they did so. O’Brien used the description of the things the soldiers carried to distinguish one solider from another. The things each soldier carries gives me a little cue on what each person is like, maybe even how these individuals prioritize things in their lives. The simple things each one carried showed an interest or what was most important to them. The way O’Brien went about the descriptions was an intriguing way to get the reader interested, it gave me a grasp to remember who was who?
This chapter really gave a perspective of how soldiers feel about war and the things they did to make time pass in their down time. It also shows the sides of the soldiers besides the tough side we see. The death of a fellow comrade (Lavender) made one solider (Cross) take a second look about his obsession with his love Martha, thinking this being the reason why Lavender died. He thought his obsession took away from his assertiveness and caused him to be negligent. Cross showed that love got in his way and it is his time to step up and be aware because it could have easily been his life that was taken. O’Brien not only showed that Cross was aware of the loss but the others were as well, even though it didn’t affect them as deeply. O’Brien gave a deep setting and descriptive scenery of what was really important for the reader to cue in on. Each part of the story was told in a creative way and left my imagination running wild and waiting in anticipation for the chapters to come.
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