“The Things They Wore” by Time O'Brien is a short story set in the Vietnam War. The story focuses on a platoon of seventeen soldiers. The title, which recurs throughout the story, has two meanings. The first concerns the soldier's duties and war equipment, which includes rank, position, firearms and personal items. The second meaning is the emotional weight that soldiers carried during the war. The constant worry of death, the soldier's desires, and his personal problems are just some of the emotional baggage he carries. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay During the Vietnam War, like all wars, soldiers faced difficult times. They have always seen some form of death, whether it was an enemy or friendly soldier. Through "The Things They Carried," Tim O'Brien explores the motivation of Vietnam War soldiers to understand their role in combat, stay fit, and accept the deaths of their comrades. O'Brien uses repetition to bring the reader to the main topic: "What they wore was partly a function of their rank, partly a function of their specialty." » The army knows how to follow the chain of command and believes that each soldier must earn his rank. Each soldier has a role according to his rank. In the story, First Lieutenant Jimmy Cross was in charge of the platoon. At first, even though the story is about eight men, there are seventeen men in the platoon. The story talks about the different positions of the men being transported and the equipment they were assigned as standard procedure. Jimmy Cross was the leader of the platoon. He carried a compass, maps, code books, binoculars and a pistol. Mitchell Sanders was a radio telephone operator (RTO) and had to carry a twenty-five pound radio. Rat Kiley, being the platoon medic, carried a satchel containing morphine and other necessities. Henry Dobbins was the machine gunner, he carried an M-60 with ten to fifteen pounds of ammunition, some of which was draped over his body. The remainder of the platoon consisted of grunts and wore the standard M-16. If soldiers found weapons, such as captured AK-47s and black market Uzis, they would collect and transport them. Most, if not all, of the men in the platoon carried some sort of sentimental item, a lucky item, or mementos from their tour. For example, Jimmy Cross carried photos and letters from Martha, a girl he had a huge crush on. Another character, Kiowa, carried a bible and his father's feathered axe. Henry Dobbins wore his girlfriend's stockings around his neck. Norman Bowker wore a corpse thumb given to him by Mitchell Sanders. Towards the end of the story, Lieutenant Cross realizes that he is not doing his job well enough. He constantly thinks of Martha and often dreams of being back home and romancing her. After Ted Lavender is shot, Cross decides that he is going to man up and be the leader he was meant to be. He blames himself for Lavender's death. “He was ashamed. He hated himself. He had loved Martha more than his men, and as a result, Lavender was dead, and that was something he would have to carry like a stone in his stomach for the rest of the war. Immediately afterward, the story talks about Cross's new expectations. “From now on,” he told them, “they would no longer leave any equipment along the march route. They would watch their actions, they would gather their things, keep them together andwould keep them clean and in good working order. After Lavender's death, Jimmy Cross is full of motivation to fulfill his role in the war, as leader of the platoon. In war, soldiers must remain in good health, both mental and physical. In “The Things They Carried,” the men carried standard C rations and two to three canteens of water. To improve their mental health, soldiers also carried various favorites such as chewing gum, candy, cigarettes, salt tablets and Kool-Aid packs. These objects were used to give pleasure to soldiers and thus maintain morale. “Henry Dobbins, who was a big man, carried extra rations; he particularly liked canned peaches in thick syrup on pound cake. Good hygiene was essential during the war. Jensen carried a toothbrush, floss and trial shampoos. He also used three pairs of socks as well as foot powder to protect himself from trench foot. Symptoms of trench foot occur when the feet become numb, swollen, and turn red. Blisters and sores appear later and the feet begin to turn blue. It is common for wounds to become infected with fungus. In Vietnam, there was a huge problem with malaria and dengue fever, which made it difficult for soldiers. The soldiers were well aware of these diseases and carried mosquito repellent to protect against malaria and dengue fever. Soldiers were forced to wear steel-centered helmets and body armor to protect them from gunfire or explosions. The desire to be with loved ones motivated soldiers to stay healthy and be wary of danger. Arriving at the town of Than Khe, the platoon finds a Vietnamese tunnel. Their missions were to destroy all the tunnels discovered, but first they had to be searched. Each soldier drew a number and the one with the number seventeen had to search the tunnel first. Many things could go wrong at any time: the tunnel could collapse, there could be a mine or enemies with guns. Whoever had to go in had to go in head first, and if something happened it could potentially be fatal to the soldier. Lee Strunk took out number seventeen and, after removing his gear so he could put it away, had to inspect the tunnel. Luckily, Strunk made it out alive, but Lavender was shot after returning from using the wilderness as a men's restroom. The men were too focused on Strunk emerging from the tunnel unharmed that they didn't think to cover their surroundings. As a result of this lack of routine, Lavender was shot and killed. They all carried fear, and it kept them going because it kept them alert. Lavender was so scared that he carried tranquilizers, otherwise he wouldn't be a useful soldier. Coming to terms with the death of a comrade is an important process during war. After Lavender is shot, the men burn the town of Than Khe. The loss of their comrade angers them and they completely destroy the city. A plane is called to take away Lavender's corpse. Meanwhile, the men talk about how much they want and want to return home, or at least leave Vietnam. After Lavender's death, the men react in various ways: relief, hysterical grief, and the destruction of the neighboring village. Lieutenant Jimmy Cross mourned Lavender's death because he was responsible for her life; for the lives of all remaining men. He told himself that Lavender's death was his fault, because he was too absorbed in his daydreams about Martha. He knew she didn't love him like..