Tim O Brien's The Things They Carried

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Art and literature, although sometimes produced by the imagination of the artist, has always influenced people’s minds, causing wonder and introspection. Tim O’Brien’s The Things They Carried is about the Vietnam War and his experiences, but he claims the book is mostly fiction. Later, in an interview with Texas Monthly, he states that “accuracy is irrelevant” and that when discussing the Mona Lisa and its accuracy, he says, “Who cares? It's a great piece of art! It moves us to the next level. It makes us wonder, makes us gape; finally makes us look inward at ourselves.” Texas Monthly, Nov. 2002. Qtd. - What is the difference between a'semi-semi-semi-semi-semi-semi-semi-semi-semi-semi-semi-semi-semi-semi-semi This quote relates to The Things They Carried as even …show more content…
Local vets shared their stories and felt understood. It’s not an exaggeration to say that this was a healing experience that brought elements of our community together in ways that rarely happen” (“Things”). This is one of many examples of how The Things They Carried not only impacts the reader on an individual level with its strong emotions and lessons, but also communities nationwide. All students can learn about the Vietnam War, not just through the book, but also by being able to hear veterans discuss the war. The Things They Carried prompted these veterans to do so, to utilize the healing of story-telling that O’Brien exhibits throughout the book. These veterans find an outlet to finally express and process all the tumultuous emotions and trauma they have undergone. This not only assists the generations individually, but it allows them to connect better, uniting communities further. The Things They Carried proves that regardless of how truthful its stories are, it has a direct impact on the world with actual
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Tim O’Brien, Vietnam War veteran, perhaps more than any other author gives eloquent and contrary voice to American involvement in war. From his own experiences in Vietnam, O’ Brien wrote a series of anti-war theme novels, including his acclaimed 1987 short story “The Things They Carried,” considered one of the top 100 short stories of the twentieth century (e.g., John Updike and Katrina Kenison, eds., The Best American Short Stories of the Century, New York: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1999). In his…

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one may believe. They are often tragic and inconclusive. Tragedies do not always have a lesson to be learned, and that is what Tim O’Brien is trying to express through his novel The Things They Carried. War stories are hard to tell because they have no morals or lessons. All they are is the experiences of boys who were forced to fight in a hopeless war. They are the only thing these soldiers have to show for their efforts, and O’Brien is no different. One of the earliest stories O’Brien…

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