The Things They Carried
By Justin Ehrenpreis
Author
Tim O Brian
Setting
Vietnam 1968
Genre
Meta-fiction
Part true part false
Characters
By Justin Ehrenpreis
Lt. Jimmy Cross
In love with collage girl Martha 24 years old
Carries
T- Letters and Two pictures
IT- Cannot have Martha’s love
-responsibility for his men
-Guilt (After Lavenders death)
Henry Dobbins
Big man
Raps girlfriend’s panty hose around neck
Dave Jensen
hygiene
Ted Lavender
Shot urinating on break
Carries-
T- carries dope (pot), tranquilizers
IT- Fear
Mitchell Sanders
Radio Tech Officer
Rat Kelley
Medic
Carries comic books
Lee Strank
Carries T- Slingshot, Tan loation
Norman Bowker
Comes home to Iowa
Lost himself
Seven medals, didn’t get silver star
Fourth of July, Trouble adjusting
Kiowa
Native American Baptist
T- Carried New Testament, moccasins
Azar
Blew up Ted Lavenders puppy
Curt Lemon
Stepped on mine “blown up” into a tree
Literary Terms
Conflict between Norman Bowker and himself-
He had trouble adjusting
Mood- frustration
Imagery- Norman Bowker saw fire works by the water
Conflict
Jimmy Cross- loves her but she doesn’t love her back
Ted Lavender and Azar-
Blew up Ted Lavenders puppy