The Things They Carried Flashcards
1
Q
“I feared losing the respect of my parents. I feared the law. I feared ridicule and censure” 3
A
- Context
o Tim speaks about when he got the draft letter and was conflicted over what to do - Analysis
o “I feared” – repetition – emphasis on the terror that comes with the draft
Faced with no good option
o “parents” – personal & familial shame
o “law” – legal troubles
o “ridicule and censure” – shows the attitude of society towards conscripts – fear of draft is normal & understandable - Impact on reader
o Understands the societal pressures to take up the draft
o Understands Tim’s internal conflict about being left with no good choice - Themes
o Society, conflict, fear
2
Q
“A draft board did not let you choose your war” 1
A
- Context
o Tim speaks about how he believes some wars are justified and some aren’t – but he ultimately had no choice - Analysis
o “did not let you choose” – conscripts ultimately have no choice
o “your war” – recognises everyone will have a fight they think is just – ultimately it doesn’t matter - Impact on reader
o Questions whether some wars a more justified and what differentiates them
o Questions what makes a war worth fighting - Themes
o Violence, morality, choice
3
Q
“He was afraid of disgracing himself”
A
- Context
o Tim stares at the Vietnamese man he killed and makes up a story about his life - Analysis
o “he was” – definitive – Tim isn’t wondering but more making up a past life as fact
o “disgracing” – parallel to Tim’s fear when receiving the draft – sees himself in the man he killed
Guilt at having killed someone innocent
Two ‘enemy’ sides aren’t actually that different - Impact on reader
o Understands that death in war hits the innocent
o Understands the guilt Tim is facing - Themes
o Violence, death
4
Q
“Run, I’d think. Then I’d think, impossible” 3
A
- Context
o Tim recalls his internal conflict when receiving the draft letter - Analysis
o “I’d think” – repetition – shows internal moral split – he is questioning & undecided
o “impossible” – no way out – has no ‘third’ choice
o First-person narration - Impact on reader
o Understands the internal conflict when facing the draft
o Understands the emotional split of having to fight a war you don’t support - Themes
o War, duty, conflict, morality
5
Q
“Raw fact of terror” 2
A
- Context
o Tim recounts his internal conflict upon receiving the draft letter - Analysis
o “raw” – unfiltered – he just felt terror – no overthinking
o “fact” – undeniable – cannot hide his fear any longer
o “terror” – strongest adjective – true depth of emotions - Impact on reader
o Understands that terror at war is inevitable
o Understands the truth of Tim’s emotions - Themes
o Fear, truth
6
Q
“The bad stuff never stops happening: it lives in its own dimension, replaying itself over and over” 3
A
- Context
o Tim tells both good and bad stories of the war in vignettes - Analysis
o “never stops” – while there may have been good memories – the bad will ultimately overtake
o “own dimension” – can carry on living life but will always live with the weight of the experiences
o “over and over” – alliteration & repetition – literally shows the repetitive nature of the memories - Impact on the reader
o Understands that war is ultimately a heavy experience – not a story of heroism & adventure as people are made to believe - Themes
o War, violence, trauma, memory
7
Q
“Well, I did – I burned it. After Lavender died” 3
A
- Context
o Jimmy Cross recounts how he burned Martha’s letters after Ted Lavender’s death because he felt they distracted him - Analysis
o “I burned it” – sombre and matter of fact – no denying his actions
o “Lavender died” – let go of the most precious thing to him because of the guilt he feels
Chose duty to his men over love - Impact on reader
o Understands the burden of duty in war
o Understands the guilt after the death of a fellow soldier - Themes
o Death, guilt, love, duty
8
Q
“Once people are dead, you can’t make them undead” 2
A
- Context
o Tim questions whether the war in Vietnam was justified and if so does it warrant the deaths - Analysis
o “undead” – not ‘alive’ – but ‘un’ implies trying to fix mistake, again emphasises death
Not a real word – shows impossibility - Impact on reader
o Understands the irreversibility of death
o Understands how death is not always thought through – when is it justified? - Themes
o Death, morality, guilt
9
Q
“Hey Lavender, how’s the war today? Mellow, somebody said” 3
A
- Context
o Tim recounts how the company wrapped up Ted Lavender’s body and prepared him for send-off after he died - Analysis
o “Hey Lavender” – repetition of typical dialogue that they used to have with Ted
Way of saying last goodbye – remember the good times before the death
o “somebody said” – someone replies with Ted’s typical response
Trying to keep his memory alive – one last time where they can feel like they are with him
o Tim is now telling this story – brings Lavender back to life again - Impact on reader
o Understands the sadness after the death of a friend
o Understands the need to keep those who died alive through remembrance - Themes
o Death, friendship, memory, legacy
10
Q
“Kathleen asked if I had ever killed anyone. (…) Of course not” 2
A
- Context
o Tim’s response when his daughter asked him if he killed anyone. He replies by lying, right after he tells the story of The Man I Killed - Analysis
o “Of course not” – ironic because the reader knows he killed someone
o Motive behind lie – preserve his own image,
Already deals with his own guilt – can he face his daughter too?
Vietnam soldiers – were judged for their actions upon return – didn’t have a choice ultimately - Impact on reader
o Lying to his daughter – makes the reader question why – especially as he regrets it later – “I wish she would ask me again”
o Understands guilt and judgement after the war - Themes
o Truth, guilt, responsibility
11
Q
“Strunk had died (…) relieved Dave Jensen of an enormous weight” 1
A
- Context
o After Stunk & Jensen fight and then become friends they make a pact to kill each other if they suffer an injury. Stunk gets his leg blown off & Jensen doesn’t kill him - Analysis
o “relieved” – seems ironic in the context of death – death shouldn’t relieve
Guilt at not keeping up the pact relieved
o “enormous weight” – weight of duty and expectations - Impact on reader
o Understands the weight of duty & expectations
o Understands the guilt of not performing your duty – letting down a friend - Themes
o Guilt, duty, death
12
Q
“He had no stomach for violence. He devoted himself to his studies” 3
A
- Context
o Tim gives the man he killed an imagined backstory - Analysis
o “he had” – Tim doesn’t know for sure but doesn’t use doubtful words – reality of death sinks in
o “no stomach” – war takes the lives of innocents, especially those who were forced to fight (conscription)
o “devoted to studies” – parallel to Tim’s description of himself when conflicting over the draft letter – draws connections to himself
Guilt at having killed someone like him
Realisation that he too can be killed - Impact on reader
o Understands moral guilt at killing someone
o Understands that those killed during war are often innocent
o Understands that anyone can be killed - Themes
o Death, innocence, guilt
13
Q
“What else could you do?” 3
A
- Context
o Kiowa asks Tim when he can’t stop staring at the man he killed - Analysis
o Rhetorical question – leaves Tim & the reader without an answer
Not meant to be answered – no one will ever know what could’ve been done differently
Symbolises always questioning choices in guilt – was there another way
o Inevitability of the kill – Kiowa tries to justify why Tim had to kill the man
Way of coping – otherwise guilt would be too great - Impact on reader
o Understands the moral dilemmas behind death
o Understands the never disappearing guilt after death - Themes
o Death, guilt
14
Q
“Lavender was dead. You couldn’t burn the blame” 1
A
- Context
o After Ted Lavender’s death – Jimmy Cross burn the letters & photos of Martha which he thinks distracted him from preventing Lavender’s death - Analysis
o “was dead.” – short syntax – it is a fact, cannot be denied anymore & is irreversible
o “burn the blame” – alliteration – shows that actions done after the fact cannot prevent the outcome
Guilt is unbearable – cannot be reversed - Impact on reader
o Understands the gravity & guilt at not having prevented a death - Themes
o Guilt, death
15
Q
“Dedicated to the men of Alpha Company” 3
A
- Context
o O’Brien dedicates his book to the fictional characters - Analysis
o Dedicated to fictional characters – already blurring the lines between truth and story
o “dedicated” – admiration & love – perhaps the characters helped O’Brien deal with his own traumas - Impact on reader
o Understands that even though the characters may not be real, their experiences are
There’s truth to O’Brien’s story - Themes
o Truth, storytelling
