Things They Carried By O Brien: Chapter Analysis

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Amongst the tempestuous war in Vietnam, soldiers often turned against fellow comrades because of the turmoil churning within them. Because of the close confinements and the constant predicaments in war, melancholy and irascibility resided inside the soldiers. One push in the wrong direction can cause a soldier to take leave of their senses. Including these chapters in order to show these fits of rage and the effects of war on the soldiers, O’Brien recreated immature quarrel between two soldiers through Dave Jensen and Lee Strunk. After jackknife goes missing, Jensen became filled with vexation and bile then threw a fitful, spasmodic tantrum. Taking out his rancor on Strunk, he threw a round of interminable, perpetual punches straight to his nose and did not stop until he is utterly satisfied. Even after a shrill crack of Strunk’s nose, signaling that it is thoroughly …show more content…
Taking a pistol, Jenson smashed in his own nose. By inflicting himself of this eye-to-eye revenge, Jensen finally relieved himself from the perturbation inside of himself. This scene represents a soldier’s inquietude after hurting someone and the injudicious decisions they will make in order to relieve themselves of their burden. This scene continues by Jensen hastily dashing over to the next morning Strunk to show him that they were both even.
Amused by Jensen’s rash actions, Strunk already felt that Jensen’s actions were slightly justified; he did steal Jensen’s jackknife after all. Both men accepting the responsibility for their puerile actions; however, they do this out of guilt rather than rectitude. Slowly becoming friends, the two promised that they would kill one another if one of them became handicapped. A common pact many soldiers have with each other so that they do not have to die at the hands of
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