The Things They Carried
Introduction + Context
Plot Summary
Detailed Summary & Analysis
The Things They Carried Love Spin On the Rainy River Enemies Friends How to Tell a True War Story The Dentist Sweetheart of the Song Tra Bong Stockings Church The Man I Killed Ambush Style Speaking of Courage Notes In the Field Good Form Field Trip The Ghost Soldiers Night Life The Lives of the Dead
Themes
All Themes Mortality and Death Social Obligation Morality Storytelling and Memory Shame and Guilt
Quotes
Characters
All Characters Elroy Berdahl Lieutenant Jimmy Cross Martha Norman Bowker Dave Jensen Lee Strunk
Symbols
All Symbols The Man O'Brien Killed The Old Farmer The Dancing Girl
Literary Devices
All Literary Devices Alliteration Allusions Anthropomorphism Dialect Flashbacks Genre Hyperbole Idioms Imagery Metaphors Mood Motifs Paradox Personification Setting Similes Situational Irony Style Tone Unreliable Narrator
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The Things They Carried

by

Tim O’Brien

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Introduction Intro
Plot Summary Plot
Summary & Analysis
  • The Things They Carried
  • Love
  • Spin
  • On the Rainy River
  • Enemies
  • Friends
  • How to Tell a True War Story
  • The Dentist
  • Sweetheart of the Song Tra Bong
  • Stockings
  • Church
  • The Man I Killed
  • Ambush
  • Style
  • Speaking of Courage
  • Notes
  • In the Field
  • Good Form
  • Field Trip
  • The Ghost Soldiers
  • Night Life
  • The Lives of the Dead
Themes
  • All Themes
  • Mortality and Death Theme Icon
    Mortality and Death
  • Social Obligation Theme Icon
    Social Obligation
  • Morality Theme Icon
    Morality
  • Storytelling and Memory Theme Icon
    Storytelling and Memory
  • Shame and Guilt Theme Icon
    Shame and Guilt
Quotes
Characters
  • All Characters
  • Elroy Berdahl
  • Lieutenant Jimmy Cross
  • Martha
  • Norman Bowker
  • Dave Jensen
  • Lee Strunk
Symbols
  • All Symbols
  • The Man O'Brien Killed Symbol Icon
    The Man O'Brien Killed
  • The Old Farmer Symbol Icon
    The Old Farmer
  • The Dancing Girl Symbol Icon
    The Dancing Girl
Lit Devices
  • All Literary Devices
  • Alliteration
  • Allusions
  • Anthropomorphism
  • Dialect
  • Flashbacks
  • Genre
  • Hyperbole
  • Idioms
  • Imagery
  • Metaphors
  • Mood
  • Motifs
  • Paradox
  • Personification
  • Setting
  • Similes
  • Situational Irony
  • Style
  • Tone
  • Unreliable Narrator
Theme Wheel Theme Viz
Download this Chart (PDF)
Download the Teacher Edition
Download this Chart (PDF)
Previous
The Dancing Girl

The Things They Carried Literary Devices

Next
Alliteration
Previous
The Dancing Girl
Previous
The Dancing Girl
Next
Alliteration
Next
Alliteration

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