Publication

     The Things They Carried is a collection of related stories by Tim O'Brien, about a platoon of American soldiers in the Vietnam Warm orgianally published in hardcover by  Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 1900. While apparently bases on some of O'Brien's own experiences, the title page refers to the book as "work of fiction." 
    Before publication in the 1900, five of the stories, including "The Things They Carried, "Sweetheart of the Song Tra Bong," "The Ghost Soldiers," and "The Lives of the Dead," had been published in Esquire.  
Awards
***Finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award - The Things They Carried 
***National Magazine Award - short story: The Things They Carried

***Included in The Best American Short Stories of the Century- short story:  The Things They Carried

***Finalist for the Pulitzer Prize

***Won the French Du Meilleur Livre Etranger

Tim O'Brien

Tim O'Brien is from small town Minnesota. He was born in Austin on October 1, 1946, a birth date he shares with several of his characters, and grew up in Worthington, "Turkey Capital of the World."

O'Brien was against the war, but reported for service and was sent to Vietnam with what has been called the "unlucky" Americal division due to its involvement in the My Lai massacre in 1968, an event which figures prominently in In the Lake of the Woods.. He was assigned to 3rd Platoon, A Co., 5th Batt. 46th Inf., as an infantry foot soldier. O'Brien's tour of duty was 1969-70. After Vietnam he became a graduate student at Harvard. No doubt he was one of very few Vietnam veterans there at that time, much less Combat Infantry Badge holders. Having the opportunity to do an internship at the Washington Post, he eventually left Harvard to become a newspaper reporter. O'Brien's career as a reporter gave way to his fiction writing after publication of his memoir If I Die in a Combat Zone, Box Me Up and Send Me Home. Tim O'Brien is now a visiting teacher at Southwest Texas State where he teaches creative writing.

The Things They Carried VS Dear John

Dear John is about a soldier home on leave falls for a conservative college girl. Instead of returning home to her, he reenlists after the attacks on September 11th, 2001. Time and distance begin to take a toll on the young lovers.
*It was released February 11, 2010 and made $80,014,842 in the box office.
*The movie is 1 hour and 42 minutes along and is rated PG-13 for some sensuality and violence.
Actors/Director/Producers:
Starring: Amanda Seyfried, Richard Jenkins, Micheal Harding, Channing Tatum, Henry Thomas
Directed By: Lasse Hallstrom
Produced By: Tucker Tooley, Toby Emmerich, Marty Bowen

Essay

        When you read the title “The Things They Carried” you immediately wonder who they are and what are they carrying. This catchy title leaves you wanting to know questions and the only way of answering is to explore the pages. As you move throughout the first pages you begin to realize who “they” is in the title; they are soldiers. Once you grasp this concept of the novel being about soldiers then you start trying to guess what they are carrying. Everyone knows that soldiers carry guns, helmets, and other protective gear; however in the title this is not what the author is referring to.

      In chapter one you learn about the different soldiers, their jobs, what they cherish most and also the guilt of the war. For instance Cross is infatuated with Martha; therefore he carries around a picture of her. Other soldiers might be doctors so they carry needles, and other health related equipment and the man next to him would be carrying the heavier guns because he is stronger. The soldiers are not just soldiers but they are human also. To go into battle they left loved ones, hobbies, and business behind; the physical aspect at least. In order for them to remain sane and to keep things as normal as possible they carried along items that they hold very dear to them.

       What the title is explaining is that even though they are all soldiers they are too individuals with different loves and interest. Cross is carrying the love of his life in just a couple of pictures, letters and a pebble. That is all he has of her. You also learn from reading that one of his fellow soldiers die in war, this is because of him daydreaming about Martha back at home. From that time after that Cross is not only carrying his loved belongings but he is also carrying the shame of allowing his friend to die for the trade of daydreaming. The title leads you to believe that a group of people are just carrying something however; these soldiers are carrying their families, their jobs and their education.

"This is something he would have to carry like a stone in his stomach the rest of his life"

Cross is finally realizing that his daydreaming is getting him into trouble. The shame is all over him and he doesn't know how he is going to live with this on him. Because he loved Martha more than his men, and as a consequence Lavender was now dead. This was something else Cross would have to "carry". This makes me feel like this character is finally maturing.

Martha

Martha is back at home while Cross is at war fighting. Cross daydreams about her constantly; however he keeps telling himself she is not in love with him. Whether she is or is not I do not agree with the fact that she gives him pictures of herself and then tries and acts like she doesn't like him. Either she does or doesn't. Cross is sacrificing not only his time but others lives because he is always thinking of her. She writes him letters all the time but then he states after reading them that she doesn't like him. I do not like this girl.

Lieutenant Jimmy Cross

He is always thinking about Martha, and numerous times this was not something he should have been doing. When people go into the military it is normal for them to miss their families and loved ones. However; Lieutenant Cross is always thinking about Martha and how he misses her. Once, because he was day dreaming someone got killed. To me that is not alright. He is there to do a job and he didn't. I would not want to fight side by side with someone that you wouldn't know if he would actually have your back or if he would be day dreaming.

"Imagination was a killer"

 Soldiers would draw numbers to see who would go into the tunnels and the others would wait outside. I could not imagine sending one of my friends into a tunnel that  is very tight and seems to get smaller as you crawl. There is only one way in and one way out. You have your flashlight and hope that it does not die while you are in there; however the narrator says that it is worse just waiting for the person inside. The ones that are waiting are sitting there wondering everything that is going on and thinking of the worst scenario possible. This quote is very real to me and everyday life.

"They carried him out to a dry paddy, established security, and sat smoking the dead man's dope until the chopper came."

I can not believe that the soldiers would do such a thing. Their fellow "brother" is laying there dead, yet they are smoking his dope. I understand that they can not change the fact that he is dead; however if I was to die serving my country I know I would not want the others fighting with me to smoke when I was dead. I am not saying that they should sit there and cry about it, but I do think the soldiers should have a little more respect.