Tim O Brien's The Things They Carried

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Pain is Beauty

“The Things They Carried”, a series of short stories composed by Tim O’Brien, illustrates how the Vietnam War affects soldiers mentally through his incredible use of syntax and word choices. O’Brien brings to light the elements of beauty hidden behind the death of characters such as the boy he killed, Curt Lemon, and even the baby buffalo, to convey the various feelings and emotions brought upon during wars. Curt Lemon has one of the most beautifully depicted deaths in Tim O’Brien’s stories. In How to Tell a True War Story, he portrays the way Lemon dies entrancingly, naming out features such as his “sharp gray eyes”, along with his “suddenly brown and shining” face, and painting the setting as the bomb in which Curt Lemon lifts him toward the sunlight and into a mossy, flowery tree. Mentioning the graceful elements of his death rather than the contrasting, gruesome details of the explosion gives the reader the chance to connect with him. He allows the reader to understand on a deeper level just how much O’Brien and the other soldiers cherished precious comrades like Curt Lemon. …show more content…
Kiley witnesses his friend’s death as they play toss with one another, making it more difficult for him to accept his sudden passing. In How to Tell a True War Story, Kiley encounters a baby water buffalo. After initially offering it food and stroking its nose, the young soldier began firing away at the small mammal. He goes from shooting just to harm the buffalo, to unloading rapid spurts at it, sobbing over his now dead best friend. While beautifully revealing the tender relationship between Kiley and Lemon, and displaying his fondness for him as he releases his anger on the harmless buffalo in front of him, he conveys his sad emotions and gives the readers the chance to empathize with him as he copes with the loss of a loved
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