Soldiers of War

Ashleigh Seipel
Laura Cline
English 102- Online
20 February 2011
Soldiers of War
In the beginning of the story, “The Things They Carried” by Tim O’ Brien, the audience is introduced to an odd character by the name of Lieutenant Jimmy Cross in the Alpha Company. Lieutenant Jimmy Cross has an eternal love for a girl from his college in New Jersey named Martha. Even though she shows no love in returns, Lieutenant Jimmy Cross carries her letters and a good luck pebble in a reminder of her and one of the emotional burdens he faces. The Lieutenant is one of many soldiers who confront tension between reality and fiction. Lieutenant Jimmy Cross in stuck in a fantasy, believing he will end up with his love, Martha, after the years of war is over. Unfortunately, he becomes negligence after witnessing his fellow soldier, Ted Lavender, die. In the chapter, “The Things They Carried”, may represent a conflict between love and war. The Lieutenant has his mind puzzled on whether or not she is a virgin, and what the reasons are of her ending all of her letters with, “Love”. After finally realizing the true distraction of his problems, he becomes distance with Martha by burning all of her letters and pictures. Lieutenant Jimmy Cross states, “That it is better to be loved than to lead” meaning how the experience reveals the death of his fellow soldier. Tim O’Brien used detailed imagery on what the experience was like in the Vietnam War. The author states facts to benefit him when giving him a clear setting. Tim O’Brien was able to be clear and detailed when writing about the Vietnam War and the struggles of the soldiers.