The Things They Carried

The man I killed

“His neck was open to the spinal cord and the blood there was thick and shiny.” (O’brien 124) Imagery. This quote represents Imagery because it gives a description of a physical object. This helps me understand the story more because it talks about the seriousness of war and how traumatic it is. This helps me better understand the author's perspective on war because it helps me understand how traumatizing it is to kill a man and then have to live with the memory of killing a man. Which makes me believe that the author believes that war is traumatizing and haunts soldiers far after their time in the war has expired.

“You laid him out like shredded fuckin’ wheat.” (O’brien 125) Simile. This quote represents a simile because it compares two things as alike. This quote helps me better understand the story more because it shows how war can make soldiers very nonchalant about tragic sights that they see in war. This helps me better understand the author's perspective because it shows that the author believes that war will traumatize the mind so much that horrific sights to others seem normal to himself. The author's perspective on war is that war is traumatizing and has affected him as well as many other soldiers and makes our country's greatest warriors suffer. The message that I interpreted out of the story is that war is a series of terrible events that traumatizes soldiers and makes them suffer in silence.

“I survived, but it's not a happy ending i was a coward I went to the war”(O’brein 61) This quote is an example of Perspective And Character because, after his decision to go to war, he regretted doing and thinks of himself lower as a person because he had gone to a war he felt didn't have a good reason or purpose to be happening. These quotes really help you get a look into what the character is going through and him saying that he went to war and was a coward because of it is such an unusual take and shows his perspective on war.  “If I was wired and jittery and I went through whole days dizzy with sorrow”(O’brein 50 ) This quote is a good example of POV's character it shows that thew when he was in the war he had to stay focused and hyper to keep up with his surroundings and after being back from the war he was around confused and sad at his choice This quote shows how the character feels about the choice he made and regrets it.

I think that the author's perspective on war is his dislike towards war and the message I took away is his regret and unhappiness during and after being in a war, I get a similar message in the book it feels like everyone is unhappy and doesn't want to be in the war.

"Ambush"

“His one eye shut, his other eye a huge star-shaped hole.”(O'Brien 133) This quote shows imagery because the way it was worded is that he wants you to picture one of his eyes shut and the other one has a hole right through it, and so you can imagine what a hole through the eye looks like.

“It was not a matter of life or death. There was no real peril. Almost certainly the young man would take past by. And it will always be that way.”(O'Brien 133) This shows paradox because it's saying it could go this way or it could go the other way and it makes it seem like it will always be that way and then he's saying that it's still life or death.
The literary devices I chose helped me decide the author's perspective on war is that war can be unforgetful and everyone has their own side to the story.
The message about war I chose is that war is unforgettable and you cant forgot what has happened.

“Ambush” and “Tips for a Smooth Transition”

“One eye was shut, the other eye had a huge star shaped hole” (O’Brien 133) The literary term shown in this line is Imagery, Imagery is represented by making the reader imagine the young man with a hole in his eye from the grenade.

“Sometimes I forgive myself, sometimes I don't.” (O’Brien 134) The literary term shown in this line is Conflict, Conflict is shown in such ways that the character still holds regret for murdering a boy, but knows that his life was in danger had he not killed the young man.

War is Ruthless & Grim, I say this because of the fact that he was left with the hard decision of killing a man or letting himself be killed. And now he has to live with the guilt of killing the boy.

In “Ambush” and “Good Form” by Tim O’Brian, the first quote is about imagery. “He was a short, slender young man of about twenty. I was afraid of him- afraid of something- and as he passed me on the trail I threw a grenade  that exploded at his feet and killed him.” (O’Brian 131). This shows imagery because it explains deeply with explaining words that are great enough that you can imagine the scene of what is happening.  This helped me understand the story because it shows what war really is and how people are affected in the war mentally after having to do and see that.  The second quote is about P.O.V. This quote shows this literary term because it explained the little girl's way of seeing the situation. “So I guess you must've killed somebody.”(O’Brian 131).  She didn't understand that what he did and was going through was a life or death situation. This helped understand the story because it showed how different points of view can affect how a story can look.

“Ambush” and “Tips for a Smooth Transition”

“One eye was shut, the other eye had a huge star shaped hole” (O’Brien 133) The literary term shown in this line is Imagery, Imagery is represented by making the reader imagine the young man with a hole in his eye from the grenade.

“Sometimes I forgive myself, sometimes I dont.” (O’Brien 134) The literary term shown in this line is Conflict, Conflict is shown in such ways that the character still holds regret for murdering a boy, but knows that his life was in danger had he not killed the young man.

War is Ruthless & Grim, I say this because of the fact that he was left with the hard decision of killing a man or letting himself be killed. And now he has to live with the guilt of killing the boy.

Exceeds: Johhny got his gun relates to my message of war being Ruthless in such a way as Joe became a quadruple amputee from impact with a mortar shell. 

Quote:  “That used to be my arm…I was normal just like you, I had a left arm and could hear just like you… I cant hear. Write it down on a piece of paper, I can read alright.” (Trumbo 28)

A quote from The Man I Killed that shows Imagery. “"His jaw was in his throat, his upper lip and teeth were gone, his one eye was shut, his other eye was a star-shaped hole, his eyebrows were thin and arched like a woman's, his nose was undamaged, there was a slight tear at the lobe of one ear..." (O'Brien 79) This shows Imagery because it makes you imagine all of these gruesome injuries and think about what they actually look like. Describing how his teeth were gone, and his face was all blown apart helps me imagine what this would look like. Another literary term used is POV. “I did not hate the young man; I did not see him as the enemy; I did not ponder issues of morality or politics or military duty. I crouched and kept my head low. I tried to swallow whatever was rising from my stomach, which tasted like lemonade, something fruity and sour. I was terrified.” (O'Brien 84) This shows POV because it makes you imagine what was going through the character’s head in that moment. It makes you feel like him at that moment, inside of his head hearing all of his thoughts. The literary terms overall helped me understand thee brutality of war and the trauma that the soldiers go through. By using descriptive language, it makes you feel like you know what the soldiers are experiencing. The overall message on war is that war leaves everlasting effects on the people who participate in it.

“Ambush” and “God Form” by Tim O’Brien 

“So I guess you must've killed somebody.”(O’Brien 134) the author shows that in this quote that you wanna tell your little daughter the truth but you don’t want her to think badly of something. 

“Daddy, tell me the truth.”(O’Brien 164) in this part they are talking about his daughter because she knows that he was in the war and she wants to know the truth of what he did.

In this text it shows that when you get older and have kids you sometimes have to lie to them so nothing bad happens. 

 “Ambush” by Tim O’ Brien. 

“Even now I haven’t finished sorting it out. Sometimes I forgive myself, other times I don’t” (O’ Brien 134). This quote represents the literary term conflict, because Tim is still having an internal conflict about handling the war. This helps me understand that even though a lot of time has passed Tim still has internal battles with himself about either forgiving himself or not forgiving himself. Tim still struggles with how he did but didn’t kill someone in the war and how it still haunts him. So from the author's perspective, he still can’t mentally process the war and that is causing him a lot of internal conflict. The message I took away is that war can be confusing. 

“The grenade made a popping noise- not soft but not loud either- not what I’d expected- and there was a puff of dust and smoke- a small white puff- and the young man seemed to jerk upward as if pulled by invisible wires” (O’ Brien 133). This quote represents the literary term imagery, because it gives the reader a clear scene of how the man Tim “killed” died. This helps me have a better understanding of how it happened by describing what it sounded and looked like, when Tim threw the grenade. The author's perspective is that he still has a clear memory of what it was like to be “responsible” for this young man's death, and how it still haunts him. The message that I took away is that war can leave mental scars.

On the rainy river 

“ At night, when I couldn't sleep, I sometimes carry fierce arguments with those people.”  (O’Brien 45)   - character          this helps me understand the author's opinion about war because it shows that he wanted to please everyone but he is afraid of war. He didn't want to ruin his life that he had so well planned out for himself.     He thinks this war is a waste of time and he'd be more happy to join any other just not his one.  War is confusion 

“ I was weird and jittery… I went through the whole day dizzy with sorrow.”  (O’Brien 50)

- imagery      this helps me understand the author's opinion about war because at this point he has run away and is trying to make up his mind about crossing the river and going into canada.  He thinks war is useless     war is confusion and doubt 

After Tim gets his draft notice, he decides to flee to the Canadian/U.S. border. He stays with a quiet, resourceful man named Elroy for six days, at a camp called the Tip Top Lodge. Elroy takes Tim through a river that leads to Canada on the other side, and gives him the opportunity to start over in Canada, or go to Vietnam to fight in a war that he doesn’t support. “to take me up to the edge and to stand a kind of vigil as I chose a life for myself.” (O’brien 49). When Elroy sees that Tim is going to stay he turns the boat back to camp and Tim heads back home, temporarily. This reflects on Tims character as his inability to commit is a recurring theme throughout the story.

There are many perspectives and opinions of war. In WWII there was a common goal to stop the Nazi’s from taking over Europe, but Vietnam was a war of aggression and was widely opposed for that reason, “survived, but it's not a happy ending. I was a coward. I went to the war.” (O’brien 61). This is a paradox because if he hadn’t gone to war he would have been seen as a coward by everyone, but he also feels like he is being a coward for not standing up for what he personally believes. The message about war is that it's dangerous to blindly fight for an unknown cause, because a war of aggression produces nothing except death. The Vietnam War is a perfect example. 

Down inside I had important things to tell her… but I couldn't make any words come out( Obrien 228-230 Charecter.  This helped show the effect death and war have on people It shows the previous happy man to now an unimaginable type of pain which shows great character change.

“Timmy stop crying it doesn't matter.”(Obrien 238) Plot. This shows the plot. His girlfriend died which affected him long-term and mentally. This relates to my book when Waldoski the doctor failed surgery and it killed someone and it affected him mentally ¨we will need the coffin for painlessly. He is going to commit suicide.¨ (Hooker 50)( after stopping him from commiting sucide).¨ I don't know where I've been, but wherever it was i sure ass hell won first prize. How about a game of poker?¨( Hooker 54 ). The perspective of This book can relate to my book being war and death is traumatizing.

“He hoped in his heart that he would never be tested. He hoped the Americans would go away. Soon, he hoped. He kept hoping and hoping…” (O’Brien 125). This quote represents the literary term of Repetition. The repetitiveness helps convey the shock going through the characters head. In his fictional story he made up, he tries to convince himself that the man he killed was good, and “hope” was his way of convincing himself.

“His neck was open to the spinal cord and the blood there was thick and shiny…” (O’Brien 124). This quote is an example of Imagery. The description paints a scene in your head, putting you in the character's position. This is what he saw, this is why he got lost within his fantasy.

Literary terms are useful in conveying a message. Repetition helps show the characters thought process, seeming the character has high morals unlike his squad members. Imagery also helps as it shows what the character went through to form his opinions. The Author showcases a split perspective through the story. Showing the different types of people in war, one of the things that split them is morals. Every soldier in war is someone, even those on the opposing side.

“I’m too good for this war. Too smart, too compassionate, too everything.It couldn’t happen.” Character (O’Brien 41) Tim thinks he is better than war, too smart and nice to go to war“I survived, but it’s not a happy ending. I was a coward. I went to the war.” P.O.V (O’Brien 61) Even though he survived, Tim does not think it’s a good thing because he still killed people. He probably does not like war, thinks he's too good for it, thinks it is pointless