The Things They Carried

" and for all the ambiguities of Vietnam, all the mysteries and unknowns, there was at least the single abiding certainty that they would never be at a loss for things to carry." (pg. 15)

can openers, pocket knives, heat tabs, wrist watches, dog tags, mosquito repellent, chewing gum, candy, cigarettes, salt tablets, packets of Kool-Aid, lighters, matches, sewing kits, Military Payment Certificates, C rations, 2 or 3 canteens of water, brass knuckles, distrust of white men, rabbit's foot, steel helmets, jackets, compress bandage, love, poncho, photographs, letters, ghosts, each other, infections, chess sets, Vietnamese - English dictionaries, Bronze Stars, Purple Hearts, diseases, lice, ringworm, malaria tablets, maps, code books, radio.... etc.

This isn't a packing list for a normal camping trip...

I love how O'Brien begins the book with all of the things these men carried with them. Personally, I think all of these items can be separated into groups - necessities / wants - tangibles / intangibles. There were specific things these soldiers needed to survive out in the wilderness, but then there were things like letters, photographs, and chess sets that just helped the men stay sane. I am sure some men might even argue those as necessities sometimes. Then these items can also be separated into things that physically weigh them down or mentally weigh them down. One cannot measure love, regret, or pain, but I am sure these men would speak of how hard these emotions were to carry.

The things they carried all depended upon the rank, stature, and personalities of the men. Tim O'Brien introduces characters in the story by speaking of the individual unique material items these men carry. O'Brien just doesn't come right out and explain Henry Dobbin's life and personality, he tells the reader that Dobbins carries a lot of food, a machine gun, and his gf's panty hose. Tim lets the reader use their imagination and come up with his past and his personality on their own.