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

The Things They Carried Symbols

The Man O'Brien Killed

The young man that Tim O'Brien killed on a trail outside of My Khe is a recurring symbol throughout The Things They Carried, as O'Brien struggles to deal with being responsible for the death… read analysis of The Man O'Brien Killed

The Man O'Brien Killed Symbol Icon

The Old Farmer

The old farmer is featured in the story "Field Trip," and symbolizes the mostly-buried hatchet between the Vietnamese people and the Americans. Tim O'Brien assures his daughter, Kathleen, that the man is not angry… read analysis of The Old Farmer

The Old Farmer Symbol Icon

The Dancing Girl

The dancing girl is featured only in the story "Style," but serves as a poignant symbol for the chaos and meaninglessness of war. Azar is put-off by the fact that the girl keeps dancing, even… read analysis of The Dancing Girl

The Dancing Girl Symbol Icon
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