Jimmy Cross In Tim O Brien's The Things They Carried

Words: 206
Pages: 1
Open Document
In Tim O'Brien's "The Things They Carried" the character Jimmy Cross experiences a large amount of dissonance throughout the story, which can be interpreted as the power of guilt over love. Jimmy Cross is a first lieutenant who is in love with a woman named Martha. "More than anything, he wanted Martha to love him as he loved her". Because Cross was first lieutenant, this provided for a strong leadership role; when one of Cross' men were shot dead one day, Cross felt that it was his responsibility that he "allowed" this to happen because of the fact that he was so in love with Martha. This led Cross to burn the images and the letters that he had received from her, one of the few things that he carried that meant the most. It is because Cross
Show More

Related Documents: Jimmy Cross In Tim O Brien's The Things They Carried

Jimmy Cross In Tim O Brien's The Things They Carried

heart is not in his work will often not do a good job. Lt. Jimmy Cross cares more about going home than leading his troops in battle. He makes risky decisions that have big consequences. He does not want the responsibility of leading troops in battle so he does not care enough to do a proper job. In The Things They Carried, Jimmy Cross is an ineffective leader as he puts his men in danger and is not well-prepared or focused. Lt. Jimmy Cross is out in the war zone, yet all he wants to do is be back…

Words 786 - Pages 4

Jimmy Cross In Tim O Brien's The Things They Carried

(The things they carried pg. 42) For my reading project I chose the character Jimmy Cross. Jimmy Cross carried many things the responsibilities for the lives of his men, compasses, maps, code books, binoculars,a strobe light, and a .45-caliber pistol that weighed 2.9 pounds fully loaded. But most importantly, he carried his love for Martha a junior in college, although he feels guilty that he loves Martha, who is not his girlfriend or wife more than his men. The things that Jimmy Cross carried…

Words 716 - Pages 3

Lieutenant Jimmy Cross In Tim O Brien's The Things They Carried

dramatic or subtle. Lieutenant Jimmy Cross in Tim O’Brien’s “The Things They Carried” is an exceptional example of a man who experienced the effects of war and is changed by his experiences. It is usually difficult to pinpoint an exact moment when someone makes a transition in their life, but noticing how and why Cross evolved from “one of the boys” to a strict war lieutenant is a fairly simple task. Death, responsibility, and an acceptance of reality ultimately drive Cross’ transformation and allow the…

Words 1310 - Pages 6

Tim O Brien

Author Study: Tim O’Brien The Things They Carried, by Tim O’Brien details the lives of several soldiers of the Vietnam War and the trauma, guilt, regret, loneliness, and heartbreak, among the millions of other tragic emotions felt by these young men. Told through the eyes of the author, Tim O’Brien, who at the time, like many other young men, weren’t planning on fighting their government war but unfortunately were dealt an unfortunate hand, experiencing the pain and hardship that ensued throughout…

Words 1585 - Pages 7