Throughout Tim O’Brien’s The Things They Carried many symbols can be found, however some symbols are more vague than others. The symbol of eternity is not found as often as others but still plays a large role in the novel. Eternity has many different meanings in The Things They Carried including the state of the soul once someone has died, which can be seen when Linda passes; a seemingly endless period of time, which is seen when he tries to run away from the draft; and the truths or realities of life, which he faces when he finally accepts that he will have to go to war and while he is at war. As a child, Timmy fell in love with a young girl named Linda. After Linda and Timmy go out on their first date, Linda starts to wear a red ball
