O'Brien, Tim. (1998). The Things They Carried. New York: Random House, 273pp.

Grade Range: 10-12

Genre: contemporary fiction

Summary and Critique

Tim O'Brien's experiences in the Vietnam War serves as inspiration for the short stories in his memoir O'Brien relates the horrors and atrocities he witnessed as an American soldier, and he depicts the brotherhood and love that forms between soldiers who fight side by side. Although the stories are fictional, O'Brien clearly draws on his personal experiences when describing the day-to-day life of a soldier who had no desire to fight. The stories are not arranged in chronological order, but rather switch from mid-battle to pre-war to twenty years after the action as the stories progress.

Some of the stories feature points of view other than that of the main protagonist. Using this strategy, O'Brien is able to offer commentary from two perspectives on the same event. This is an excellent book, and one of its main advantages is that a teacher can pick and choose which stories to introduce to the class. Also, she can teach the book as a novel. Some of the war stories are quite graphic, using gory detail, and might not be appropriate for younger students, but overall this book is a great asset to the classroom.

Awards

The Chicago Tribune Heartland Prize

Prix du Meilleur Livre Etranger

Finalist for the Pulitzer Prize

Finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award

Themes/Topics

Friends & Foes

Race, Ethnicity, and Culture

Challenges and Triumphs

War & Peace

The Individual vs. Society

Adventure

Author/Illustrator/Editor Information

Tim O'Brien is an award-winning novelist, essayist, and short-story writer. He won the 1979 National Book Award in Fiction for his novel Going After Cacciato, and Time magazine selected his book In the Lake of the Woods as the best novel of 1994. Most of his published work either takes place in Vietnam or has characters who were greatly affected by the war. His memoir of his service in the war, titled If I Die in a Combat Zone, Box Me Up and Send Me Home, was published in 1973. O'Brien continues to write and publish, and is currently a visiting professor of Creative Writing at Texas State University.

For more information on Tim O'Brien:

http://www.illyria.com/tobhp.html Web site that includes information about Tim O'Brien (e.g., biographical facts, upcoming events, synopsis of published works)

Herzog, Tobey C. Tim O'Brien (Twayne's United States Author Series no. 691) Twayne Publishers, 1997. 186 pp. Herzog's book is based on a two-day interview with O'Brien.

Media Connections

Movies/Documentaries

Vietnam: A Television History (1983) This PBS-produced seven-part documentary series gives the complete history of the Vietnam War. Using video footage from eleven countries this award winning series makes the complexity of the war easier to understand.

Vietnam War with Walter Cronkite (2003) This three-part DVD is a collection of news reports from the 60's and 70's. It contains rare footage and interviews from the war as well as commentary from newsman Walter Cronkite.

Letters to the Wall: A Documentary on the Vietnam Wall Experience (2002) This documentary details the history of the Vietnam National Monument in Washington D.C.

National Geographic-Vietnam's Unseen War-Pictures From the Other Side (2002) This documentary shows the point of view of the North Vietnamese. It includes rare pictures and interviews from America's"enemy" and makes clear that both sides thought they were fighting for what was right.

Vietnam: The Ten Thousand Day War (1980) This ten-hour thirteen-episode documentary details the war in Vietnam from the end of WWII through the cease-fire in 1975. It is narrated by CNN correspondent Peter Arnett and covers every aspect of the war in exhaustive detail.

Platoon (1986) This movie, directed by Oliver Stone, is based on his experiences as an infantryman in the war. Its protagonist finds conflict not only between himself and the Viet Cong, but also between his military superiors. Platoon won Academy Awards for Best Picture and Best Director of 1986.

Hearts and Minds (1974) This documentary chronicles the effect of the war on American soldiers abroad and their families at home. The movie uses newsreels, interviews, and television footage to show the effect of the war on Americans. Hearts and Minds won the Academy Award for Best Documentary in 1974.

Mulan (1998) This Disney movie is about a young Chinese woman who chooses to fight in a war for her country. Many themes from The Things They Carried are evident, including societal pressure and internal fear.

Glory (1989) Denzel Washington won an Academy Award for best supporting actor in the Civil War movie about the first all-black regiment.

Holes. A teenage boy is accused of stealing a pair of shoes, and for punishment he must work in a bizarre juvenile detention center/labor camp.

Stand By Me (1986) An author reflects on the experience (seeing a dead body) that forced him and his three young adolescent friends to mature.

Cast Away (2000) After being stranded on an island following a plane crash, a man learns to survive and eventually tries to get home.

Glory (1989) Depicts the struggles of the first African American company of soldiers in the Civil War.

Mi Vida Loca (1994) Two best friends living in Los Angeles experience the harsh realities of inner-city life, including dealing drugs, infidelity, and violence.

Windtalkers (2000) In the Pacific Theater during World War II, two Caucasian marines must monitor the activities of two Navajo marines responsible for developing and interpreting a secret code.

Television

China Beach – any episode (Friends and Enemies, War and Peace)

Tour of Duty – any episode (Friends and Enemies, War and Peace)

Music/Audio Recordings

"Ohio." Lyrics by Neil Young. From Four Way Street. 1971. (Neil Young's reflection on the four students killed by the National Guard at Kent State during a Vietnam protest).

Online Resources

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/vietnam/ This site is a companion to the Vietnam: A Television History documentary. It's informative and thorough.

http://www.historyplace.com/unitedstates/vietnam/ An informative site that describes the causes of the war, how the war was fought, and the aftermath both in Vietnam and in the United States.

http://thewall-usa.com/ This site is dedicated to honoring American soldiers who fought in the Vietnam War.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/teach/invasion/postviewing3.html This site has a lesson plan that relates the Vietnam War to the current American war in Iraq. The lesson is appropriate for all ages.

http://tappedin.org/archive/projects/vietnam/ ("The Vietnam War: A Teacher's Resource") This Web site was designed for Social Studies teachers, but the information it contains is relevant for any class studying the war. The site includes suggested lessons and links to other sites.

http://www.actsofkindness.org/ The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation promotes philanthropy and offers a variety of ideas and projects for performing random acts of kindness.

http://almaproject.dpsk12.org/ The Alma Project offers information and lesson plans about Latinos who have fought in American wars.

http://www.history.navy.mil/faqs/faq61-1.htm Information about Native Americans who have fought for America in American wars.

http://redeyevideo.com/vietnamVets.html Native American veterans of the Vietnam War share their experiences.

Related Texts

O'Nan, Stewart. (1998). The Vietnam Reader: The Definitive Collection of Fiction and Nonfiction on the War. New York: Anchor, 724pp. This extensive collection includes fiction, nonfiction, poetry, drama, song lyrics, photography, and essays on Vietnam films. It also includes varied points of view, including those from both anti-war activists and war enthusiasts. O'Brien is a featured writer.

Ehrhart, W.D. (Ed). (1985). Carrying the Darkness: The Poetry of the Vietnam War. New York: Avon, 288pp. This anthology includes poetry about Vietnam written by soldiers, activists, and others affected by the war. It also includes a glossary that contains common Vietnam War expressions.

Caputo, Philip. (1996). A Rumor of War. New York: Henry Holt, 356pp. In this memoir, an American soldier describes his Vietnam experience. It tells the story of an eager young soldier who eventually comes to hate the war he is forced to fight in. Many parallels can be drawn between A Rumor of War and The Things They Carried.

Downs, Frederick. (1978). The Killing Zone: My Life in the Vietnam War. W.W. Norton Company, 240pp. This is another Vietnam soldier memoir. Again, many parallels can be drawn between it and O'Brien's b4teens_book.

Fawcett, Bill. (1995). Hunters and Shooters: An Oral History of the U.S. Navy SEALs in Vietnam. New York: W. Morrow, 350pp. This volume is composed of interviews from fifteen Navy SEALs. It can be used in conjunction with The Things They Carried to highlight the difference between written and oral histories. They can also be used to show the advantages and disadvantages of each.

Addington, Larry H. (2000). America's War in Vietnam: A Short Narrative History. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 191pp. This brief but comprehensive history of the Vietnam War can be used in class to introduce the war and to gather background information. From the causes for American involvement to specific strategies the United States used in battle, this book is detailed and informative.

Reporting Vietnam: American Journalism 1959-1975. New York: Library of America, 853pp. This wonderful anthology is a collection of the most powerful and moving journalism from the first half of the war. It includes news stories, interviews, profiles, and think pieces. Part two of the anthology is also recommended. It covers 1959-1975.

Fitzgerald, Frances. (2002). Fire in the Lake: The Vietnamese and the Americans in Vietnam. Boston: Little, Brown, & Co., 500pp. This study offers both the American and Vietnamese point of view. It includes differing histories of the same battle from each country's perspective. It is an awesome resource for any classroom studying the Vietnam War.

Gordon, Ruth. (1995). Pierced by a Ray of Sun: Poems About the Times We Feel Alone. New York: Harper Collins. 105pp. A poetry anthology that addresses themes of alienation and loneliness.

Canfeld, Jack; Kirberger, Kimberly; Hansen, Mark Victor. (2002). Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul on Love and Friendship. Deerfield Beach, Fla: Health Communications. 300pp. Various stories about love and friendship during the teenage years.

Gootman, Marilyn. (1994). When a Friend Dies: A Book for Teens About Grieving & Healing. Minneapolis : Free Spirit. 107pp. Advice for teenagers on dealing with death and grief.

Bunting, Eve. (1996). Going Home. New York: Harper Collins. Ill. David Diaz. 32 pp. Colorful story of a Mexican-American family of farm laborers who return to Mexico for the holidays.

Marcus, Leonard S. (1994). Lifelines: A Poetry Anthology Patterned on the Stages of Life. New York: Dutton Books. 116pp. Both contemporary and classic poems about life's stages fill this anthology.

Simpson, C. and Simpson, D. (1997). Coping with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. New York: Rosen. 129 pp. A guide for Teens on dealing with PTSD.

Nye, Naomi Shihab. (1992). This Same Sky: A Collection of Poems from Around the World. New York: Four Winds Press. 212pp. Poems written by authors living all over the world, reflecting on many of the same issues such as nature, love, and families.

Teaching Ideas

(1) "Writing Assignment Ideas" Recall a time you felt overpowering fear. Explain the circumstances. Analyze your reasons for fear. Describe the physical and emotional effects of that fear. What happened? Were your fears realized? Were you pleased with how you acted? Were you changed in any way by this experience? Or write a news report of the battle. Then write an editorial and human-interest story. You may add details of your own invention.

[Selected from "The Language Works" by Beverly Haley in The Best of Notes Plus. Urbana, IL: National Council of Teachers of English, pp. 23-24.]

(2) "Converting Memories to Fiction" To introduce the idea of creating fiction from personal experiences, first share an excerpt from Zora Neale Hurston's autobiography Dust on the Road. Then, have the students write about an incident in their lives that sticks out as particularly memorable to them. Next, share with the class the short story Isis, which is Hurston's fictionalized account of the same event they already read about from her autobiography. The next step is for them to turn their earlier piece of nonfiction writing into a fictional work. They can make their work into a play or short story. The point is to learn about the differences and advantages of different genres.

[Summarized from "Converting Memories to Fiction" by Carol Zuccaro in Ideas Plus Book 15. Urbana, IL: National Council of Teachers of English, pp. 30-31.]

(3) "When Is a Fact Not a Fact?" Each student will be writing three paragraphs on the same subject. The teacher should use subjects that the students are familiar with, such as the high school dance or football game. The teacher will tell the students three points of view for them to write about each subject. For example, write one paragraph from the point of view of the quarterback, one from the coach, and one from the perspective of the other team's mascot. This activity is designed to get students thinking about tone and style, as well as the validity of the narrator. [Adapted from "When is a Fact Not a Fact?" by Maryann Smith in Ideas Plus Book 4. Urbana, IL: National Council of Teachers of English, pp. 60-61.]

(Written by Chris Logan and edited by Jennifer E. Moore)