Running head: THE THINGS THEY CARRIED A LITERARY 1
ANALYSIS
The Things They Carried, A Literary
Analysis Name
ENG125 Introduction to Literature
Prof
Date
, THE THINGS THEY CARRIED A LITERARY 2
ANALYSIS
The Things They Carried, A Literary
Analysis
Prompt #1: Characters do what they do because of their various motivations and desires.
Working Thesis
First Lieutenant Jimmy Cross is a man in love, or at least in love with the idea of a
woman named Martha, and stationed in Vietnam in the middle of the war. He transforms from a
love blind man into a soldier who is firm and a functional leader.
Analysis
In “The Things They Carry,” Tim O’Brien emphasizes the setting, items that characters
"humped" (O'Brien, 2009, pg. 3) or carried, and the characters themselves to set the theme. This
story takes place in the past, during the Vietnam war, during a so-called peacekeeping mission
which turns out to be life ending for some and life changing for many more, including First
Lieutenant Jimmy Cross. The First Lieutenant is like many men, thinking of a woman back
home and humping things from her, along with daydreams about her. In addition, he is also the
platoon leader, in charge of seventeen men, whom each brings a distinct and needed specialty to
the group. Due to each person's specialty, they each carry different items, in addition to the items
they hump for their personal desire and needs. O'Brien goes into detail about what each
character humps, bringing the reader the understanding of why each individual needed so many
items on their person, and why the wide variety per person as well. Ted Lavender, one of the
First Lieutenant’s men, was shot and instantly killed one day in front of them while the First
Lieutenant was daydreaming about his love back home. This made him blame himself for
Lavender’s death and in the end decided to burn the things he humped from Martha, his love, and
become the leader/soldier his men needed him to be.
ANALYSIS
The Things They Carried, A Literary
Analysis Name
ENG125 Introduction to Literature
Prof
Date
, THE THINGS THEY CARRIED A LITERARY 2
ANALYSIS
The Things They Carried, A Literary
Analysis
Prompt #1: Characters do what they do because of their various motivations and desires.
Working Thesis
First Lieutenant Jimmy Cross is a man in love, or at least in love with the idea of a
woman named Martha, and stationed in Vietnam in the middle of the war. He transforms from a
love blind man into a soldier who is firm and a functional leader.
Analysis
In “The Things They Carry,” Tim O’Brien emphasizes the setting, items that characters
"humped" (O'Brien, 2009, pg. 3) or carried, and the characters themselves to set the theme. This
story takes place in the past, during the Vietnam war, during a so-called peacekeeping mission
which turns out to be life ending for some and life changing for many more, including First
Lieutenant Jimmy Cross. The First Lieutenant is like many men, thinking of a woman back
home and humping things from her, along with daydreams about her. In addition, he is also the
platoon leader, in charge of seventeen men, whom each brings a distinct and needed specialty to
the group. Due to each person's specialty, they each carry different items, in addition to the items
they hump for their personal desire and needs. O'Brien goes into detail about what each
character humps, bringing the reader the understanding of why each individual needed so many
items on their person, and why the wide variety per person as well. Ted Lavender, one of the
First Lieutenant’s men, was shot and instantly killed one day in front of them while the First
Lieutenant was daydreaming about his love back home. This made him blame himself for
Lavender’s death and in the end decided to burn the things he humped from Martha, his love, and
become the leader/soldier his men needed him to be.
