Stories of the Vietnam War Illustrated in O’Brien’s The...

Tim O’Brien’s book, The Things They Carried, portrays stories of the Vietnam War. Though not one hundred percent accurate, the stories portray important historical events. The Things They Carried recovers Vietnam War history and portrays situations the American soldiers faced. The United States government represents a political power effect during the Vietnam War. The U. S. enters the war to prevent a communist takeover of South Vietnam. The U.S. government felt if communism spreads to South Vietnam, then it will spread elsewhere. Many Americans disapproved of their country’s involvement. Men traveled across the border to avoid the draft. The powerful United States government made the decision to enter the war, despite many†¦show more content†¦One time they simply walk up to a dead man and shake his hand as if greeting a live person. Historically, soldiers experienced similar events. The Things They Carried recovers real history. The United St ates political power affected history. The U. S. government wanted to prevent communism from spreading. Many Americans disapproved of their country’s involvement. O’Brien stated, â€Å"You don’t make war without knowing why . . . when a nation goes to war it must have reasonable confidence in the justice and imperative of its cause. You can’t fix your mistakes. Once people are dead, you can’t make them undead.† (O’Brien 41). Historically, many soldiers deplored the war. O’Brien stated, â€Å"There should be a law, I thought. If you support a war, if you think it’s worth the price, that’s fine, but you have to put your own precious fluids on the line.† (O’Brien 42). O’Brien objects to dying in a wrong war. He drives to Canada and six days later, he makes his decision. He decides to fight to avoid embarrassment. O’Brien imagined, â€Å"All those eyes on me--the town, the who le universe--and I couldn’t risk the embarrassment. I couldn’t endure the mockery, or the disgrace, or the patriotic ridicule. It had nothing to do with morality. Embarrassment, that’s all it was.† (O’Brien 59). The other soldiers in The Things They Carried disapproved also and wanted to return home. O’Brien portrays the soldiers confused about the war’s purpose. He said, â€Å"TheyShow MoreRelatedThe Things They Carried1417 Words   |  6 Pages In The Things They Carried, Tim O’Brien tells the tale of not about war, but rather about war’s effect on one’s mentality. Ultimately, this novel is built on a foundation of the items that the soldiers of the Vietnam War carried. 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