Burdens of a soldier
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Throughout The Things They Carried, Tim O'Brien portrays the theme of carrying, or "humping" particular items during the Vietnam War. The title is important because it focuses on the physical, emotional, and psychological burdens that weigh the soldiers down during this cold and rough war. Some of these items that were carried gave the soldiers a sense of security and identity, while others produced negative emotions. The soldiers' survival is dependent of which items, the tangible and intangible, they will carry with them as they march. All the soldiers carried necessities in order to survive, but each individual also carried something that was either of personal or sentimental value to them.
The small, physical "things they carried were largely determined by necessity. Among the necessities or near-necessities were P-38 can openers, pocket knives, heat tabs, wristwatches, dog tags, mosquito repellent, chewing gum, candy, cigarettes, salt tablets, packets of Kool-Aid, lighters, matches, sewing kits, Military Payment Certificates, C rations, and two or three canteens of water. Together these items weighed between 15 to 20 pounds." (O'Brien, 2). Tim O'Brien utilizes catalogues by listing every object and its weight...