Tim O Briens The Things They Carried - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 6 Words: 1822 Downloads: 3 Date added: 2019/04/07 Category Literature Essay Level High school Tags: The Things They Carried Essay Did you like this example? 1945 was a difficult time for America. There were so many people still recovering from World War II, and now the Vietnam War was starting. The Things They Carried told a story of how the war changed a person, in this case, it was Tim OBrien. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Tim O Briens The Things They Carried" essay for you Create order It showed the struggle he, and many soldiers in any war went through to be able to overcome the grief and the struggle to deal with death. In this time young men were being drafted into the Vietnam War. For example, in The The Things Carried By Tim OBrien, the protagonist in his book was being drafted into the war but tried to run from it. After he tried to run from his fate he realized he was not able to. This was just the start of The Vietnam War. For example Tim OBrien and his friends and comrades in the war. He was able to paint pictures through his words being able to let the reader feel like they are there with him. Tim OBriens book The Things They Carried explained in detail how the war affected the soldiers and those around them. Tim OBrien allows the audience to feel this emotion better by writing this book as fiction. The government also had a hand in the Vietnam war as well. The American involvement in Vietnam was shaped based on the Cold War. Even though his book is ficti on, in some ways that can have an advantage in explaining the war. Tim OBrien the narrator is telling a story about the participation he had in the war. A lot of symbolism in Tim OBriens book helped us see what he went through, even though he himself did not go through it, this is the reason that a fiction story hooked the reader and gave the reader more information than a nonfiction story can. Tim OBrien brings up about both the physical objects they carry but also they have to carry their emotional burdens. The objects that each soldier carries serves as a symbol for what they are carrying in their minds. It just starts out with the title, The Things They Carried. Before reading the book one might think that it is just about what the soldiers carried in the war. Which in the beginning that what Tim OBrien is talking about. He lists every soldier, and what they carried on their backs throughout the war but this can mean something deeper if you look in between the lines. Each and every soldier carries physical baggage but the baggage they carry can represent their emotional baggage from the war. The items on their back were the psychological weight of the war. For example, Lieutenant Cross carried a picture of Martha to comfort him. He also carried a pebble that she sent ton lieutenant Cross that was a good luck charm. The quote Martha wrote that she has found the pebble on the Jersey shoreline, where the precisely where land touched water at high tide, where things came together but separated.(7). Just like now soldiers would carry pictures and mementos of their loved ones into war to comfort them for example now soldiers may carry pictures. The war had a big toll on soldiers especially when they come home. That emotional and psychological baggage may never go away. Another way the physical baggage they carried can symbolize that they lost their true identity and now they were looked just of what they carried on their backs. Another physical memento that a soldier in the book carries is when Henry Dobbins ties a pair of pantyhose from his girlfriend around his neck to help him remember the good memories he had before the war. Another way thee pantyhose can symbolize something is since while men are at war there is not much female intimacy that they got at home. Now soldiers are able to call their families and even see them. So, that was how they were able to get their female intimacy and a sense of confidence. for example, all the physical items that soldiers would carry becau se they have something to look forward to, and want to come home. Even though The Things They Carried is a fiction story it has many lessons that the reader can learn. Being a fiction story it is easier and tells everything how it is rather than a nonfiction story where the person writing it could be hiding facts back because they are scared of it. If a veteran would have written a story like this they may have blocked out a lot of important details that have happened because of PTSD and anxiety as well as depression. Fiction can also make it easier to explain horrible events in detail that no one that lived through it could. For example when Tim OBrien was explaining to his daughter about what he experienced when his daughter asked Daddy, tell the truth, Kathleen can say, did you ever kill anybody? And I can say, honestly, Of course not.(172) As Tim OBrien stated this quote In the chapter Good Form, OBrien used the quote that states, story -truth is truer sometimes than happening-truth. (171). After that he continued to explain how as he told these stories that are not true in reality, instead made the reader have the ability to sense that the feelings that it gave the reader a feeling that they are there even if the book is a work of fiction it would give the same sense if it was nonfiction, it gave the same message but not in the same context. Without using fiction some stories that are told would give the reader better knowledge than the real stories would. Fiction would not be completely sufficient for being able to bring the emotions that the soldiers were feeling during the war. Being able to catch someones attention was to main goal in Tim OBriens Book The Things They Carried of was able to create a story that was able to instantly grab the readers interest, it allowed the reader to become more involved and able to make an image and feel the emotions that were actually being felt at the time. Even though Tim OBriens work of fiction was not able to give a true and real story about Vietnam it was able to give Tim OBrien the ability to use that as an opportunity to use techniques like metaphors and symbolism to let the reader think for deeply about the situation. Fiction may seem like a story of lies, but in his work of fiction, it was positive because it was the only way to tell the real truth. When reading Tim OBriens story he made sure to have the reader ask little to no questions about the story, but instead, they became in touch with the emotion of the characters. Physical events that happened in the book had a major impact on how he explained the history of the Vietnam War. One of the first physical events that he pointed out was when he brought up the event of the puppy on the landmine on page thirty-five. He stated that one of his friends adopted an orphan puppy and took care of it by feeding it from a spoon. Then Ted Lavender came and took the puppy. Tim OBrien stated, Azar strapped the puppy to a Claymore anti-personnel mine and squeezed the firing device.(35). This event that he described had a deeper meaning when he was telling it. It symbolized the ability to make Azar have a sense of control in a time where it seemed that no one had control over anything, but he blamed it on his immaturity. Men today in the war still would have had a problem with how they felt during the war. This incident could have also meant that he was killing something innocence and purity just like the war did to him and his comrades in the war. Some other events that had more of a meaning than what was said at that moment in the book. The event that was mentioned was when before the war and he was trying to escape from being drafted in the war, and he went to a cabin in the Rainy River as he decided to stay there for a few months. Then he came to the realization that he could not escape the war. This was what many soldiers still felt in other, more modern wars. They tried to hide or flee the country, but in the end, they needed to serve their country. The event that made him realize that was on his last day at the cabin. The event was when the cabin owner, Elroy, took him up on the river towards Canada was whe4re Tim OBrien wanted to go. Tim OBrien said youre scared, and theres a hard squeezing pressure in your chest. What would you do? Would you jump? Would you feel pity for yourself?(54).One of the last and biggest events that happened was the Death of someone close to you can make you see everything in a different light. For Tim OBrien, this was the death of his first love Linda. The death of Linda represented the event that the past could be brought back through some sort of symbolism in his book. Linda was a classmate of OBriens, but she died of a brain tumor when they were in the fifth grade. This event symbolized OBriens faith that fiction storytelling was the best way to show those emotions. This event showed how he was able to deal with the pain, confusion, and most of all, the sadness that death was able to bring to him. Linda was OBriens first love and also his first experience with deaths random choice. He was able to retreat into his mind, more specifically his dreams. He was able to see Linda, alive. This showed that even though some things are just dreams which, later for Tim OBrien evolved into his story that the dead could be alive through those who remember them. The young Vietnam soldier hit Tim OBrien especially hard, like any first death on his own hands would do for a soldier. He was not completely clear if actually threw a grenade and killed My Khe, the way he described the mans death is descriptive his death. This symbolized the way humans guilt over how horrible events that happened in the war. In The Man I Killed, OBrien was able to distract himself from this event by speaking in the third person so he did not have to directly say what he did or not do. He did what many people did they would distract themselves from the memory. How Tim OBrien did this is by speaking in the third person and constructing fantasies as to what the man must have been like before he was killed.

Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing ( Emdr ) And...

This paper will examine, compare and contrast Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR) and Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) in the case of Joe, a fictional client with post-traumatic stress disorder from two tours of combat duty as a Marine Corps sniper in the Middle East, without the use of psychotropic medications. EMDR uses side-to-side eye movements in a one-on-one session with a clinician while the client focuses on a distressing memory until he or she reports reduced symptomology or no psychological distress; the clinician then has the client think of positive thoughts while continuing the exercises. EMDR has been the target of debate over its effectiveness, with some scholars suggesting that it is the â€Å"rewiring† of the brain that is most beneficial. CPT is often used when other processes of recovery fail. Therapy, administered individually or in a group, initially focuses on misconstrued beliefs of denial and self-blame for the traumatic incident and then addresses beliefs the client has about himself and the world in general. CPT uses talk therapy and worksheets with the goal of the client learning to make sense of what happened and fit it in with the beliefs about themselves and others. Findings suggest that each therapy has its advantages and which is best depends on how responsive the client is to each mode and the therapeutic alliance between the client and therapist. A Comparison of EMDR and CPT with Presenting Problem of Post-Traumatic StressShow MoreRelatedExamining Effectiveness Of Treatment Strategies Used With Survivors Of Rape1357 Words   |  6 PagesExamining Effectiveness of Treatment Strategies Used With Survivors of Rape Therapy for survivors of rape is often difficult to obtain. 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The Secret Circle The Hunt Chapter 21 Free Essays

A warm breeze rustled the graveyard’s foliage as the Circle and Suzan’s father gathered for her burial. It was an impossibly sunny day, which only made Cassie feel guilty that she could enjoy it when Suzan couldn’t. Suzan had been such a lighthearted person, always able to find the fun in any situation. We will write a custom essay sample on The Secret Circle: The Hunt Chapter 21 or any similar topic only for you Order Now How was it possible that they could all be standing here now beneath the bright sun, while Suzan would be buried beneath heavy black dirt? It wasn’t fair, and nothing anyone said would make sense of it. The graveyard was mostly flat, comprised of a few small ponds and crooked streams. The jagged coastline was visible in the distance to the east. To the west were wooded, rolling hills. And prevailing over all of it were the granite cliffs in the far north. This was a beautiful place. Why were such wonders made so much more visible by death and loss? Was that why tragedies happened? To open our eyes to the miraculous, to force us to appreciate joy? Only Deborah had the courage to say a brief eulogy over Suzan’s casket, to reach for a few words that might capture what the whole Circle was feeling. She cleared her throat and looked affectionately at Suzan’s father. â€Å"Suzan was easy to underestimate,† she said, and a few people giggled. â€Å"In fact, Suzan wanted you to underestimate her, so she could later surprise you with her wit and intelligence, her goodness, her generosity, and let’s not forget, her sarcasm. Beneath all her fancy clothes and makeup, Suzan was a pure soul.† Deborah was choking back tears now. â€Å"She was pure through and through. And we’re all going to miss her very much.† They all began to cry, but Faye was the most distraught of all. She could barely keep herself upright, she was so overcome with grief. To keep her sobbing from disrupting the ceremony, she staggered off to the side to lean against a barren tree. Cassie went to her. She approached her the way she would have approached an injured street cat, with carefulness and caution, fully prepared to back off if necessary. She tried putting her arm around her, but Faye immediately pushed her away. â€Å"I don’t want your pity. Just leave me alone.† â€Å"Faye,† Cassie said. â€Å"None of this is your fault. You can’t be blaming yourself.† Faye stared viciously at the ground. â€Å"It should have been me. I wish it was me in that box right now.† â€Å"Faye.† â€Å"No, Cassie. It’s easy for you to say it’s nobody’s fault. You saved the day. You’re the hero. But I’m the reason Suzan was on that roof to begin with. And then she threw herself in front of the killing curse to save me. So don’t stand there and try to make me feel better. I don’t deserve it.† Cassie could understand the sentiment. She didn’t want to feel better either. And if Faye wished to punish herself, there was nothing Cassie could do to convince her otherwise. She took a step closer to Faye but didn’t attempt to touch her this time. She just stood near her quietly and respectfully, hoping at the very least to make Faye feel less alone in her remorse. They watched the remainder of the service together from afar. After the casket was lowered into the ground, there was nothing left for anyone to do but file back to their cars. Cassie took Faye’s hand and guided her across the grass to the rest of the group. With her other hand, she reached for Adam. Together, the eleven of them walked solemnly across the graveyard, but Cassie felt as if each step took them further away from one another. This devastation had broken their bond and weakened their allegiance. Then Cassie looked down at her and Adam’s intertwined fingers. She willed it to be there. The silver cord. But nothing appeared. The town of New Salem oddly came to life around funerals. People Cassie had never even seen before poured into Suzan’s house with flowers and food for Suzan’s dad. He was polite, but dazed. It might take weeks for the reality of Suzan’s death to actually hit him. Cassie wished she could go to him now and offer him some kind of explanation for what had happened to his little girl. He must have so many questions. But Cassie restrained herself. It was probably better to leave those things unsaid. None of it really added up to an explanation anyhow. Diana huddled close to Cassie and whispered in her ear. â€Å"See those?† she said, pointing to a bouquet of lilies. â€Å"They’re from Max.† Cassie could see Diana was hurting. Not having Max nearby when she needed him the most couldn’t have been easy. This day would have been impossible for Cassie to endure without Adam. But then again, Adam wasn’t the Circle’s sworn enemy. Diana touched one of the lilies longingly. â€Å"I broke it off with him, you know.† Cassie tried not to appear relieved. â€Å"After what happened with Suzan, I realized how dangerous it really was,† Diana continued. â€Å"I told him I needed to stand with my Circle.† â€Å"And he’s okay with that?† â€Å"He doesn’t have a choice,† Diana said, but she gazed around the room as if she were still hoping Max might step inside at any moment. Cassie could relate. She had given up Adam once for the good of the Circle and her friendship with Diana. She searched her mind for the right thing to say. Max hadn’t been on the roof the night of their battle, so maybe he wasn’t so bad after all – maybe he was having second thoughts about being a hunter. But Cassie still couldn’t ignore the facts: It was Max who’d marked Faye. It was Max’s father who’d killed Suzan – Suzan, who they’d just buried less than an hour before. Cassie couldn’t help but be glad Diana had broken up with him, at least for the time being. â€Å"Look, Diana,† Cassie said. â€Å"None of us knows what the future holds. What’s going to happen between you and Max down the road isn’t something we can predict. But today, you have your friends. And we’re here for you – we have to be, now more than ever.† â€Å"You’re right. And I’m grateful. Believe me, I am.† Diana paused. â€Å"It’s just that sometimes I wish everything could just be normal. Do you know what I mean?† â€Å"Well,† Cassie said, looking over at Adam. He was greeting strangers at the door, thanking them for their casseroles and flowers, directing them toward the sitting room. He was always the helper, always the gentle knight. How could Cassie judge Diana harshly for choosing a complicated person to love, when she knew it was hardly a choice at all? â€Å"You know what I think?† Cassie put her arm around Diana and brought her in for a hug. â€Å"I think sometimes, normal is overrated.† How to cite The Secret Circle: The Hunt Chapter 21, Essay examples

Refuge (When It’s Cold Outside) free essay sample

When listening to John Legend’s first album, Get Lifted, I always get the feeling of something new and inspirational. Like some rhythm and blues singers, John Legend songs provided his experiences and observations of love, life, and relationships. However his songs give the people new meanings and interpretations on love. Although most of the songs on John Legend’s first album are all related to any aspect of love or relationships, one of my favorites is â€Å"Refuge (When It’s Cold Outside)†. The name of the song will not seem at all related to love but if you listen to it then you will understand how love changes a person. By listening to Refuge, I feel as if love is a woman who is refuge. In the first two verses, there are emotions of sadness turning in to happiness. In the first verse John Legend sings about him praying for something brighter and new. We will write a custom essay sample on Refuge (When It’s Cold Outside) or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Praying was his last hope. He prays for something better than what life is now which he describes is burdensome and where everyday is a rainy one. In the second verse everything suddenly changes as the clouds from the rain go away and an angel is sent down. The angel is a woman who clears away his troubles through love by changing him and his life. Also, the angel is the answer to his prayers for a brighter day. In the chorus John Legend compares the weather to how the woman makes him feel. In addition to the chorus there is a pre chorus. In the pre chorus he says, â€Å"You know and I know, friends come and friends go, storms rise and winds blow, but one thing I know for sure†¦Ã¢â‚¬  In the chorus and pre chorus, he compares the weather to how the angel makes him feel. The weather is a storm which is his sadness but now with his angel he feels peace and warmth while it is still cold outside. The angel brings him refuge from the storm by giving him her love, which is his warmth. Her love is what keeps him going and what makes everything alright for the both of them. John Legend believes the woman is what changed and distracts him from the outside world. Like the third verse, he describes how she makes him see visions of other places. In the final verse, John Legend sings of how hard the world is. He says â€Å"†¦peace is so hard to find, we’re terrorized and victimized, but that’s when I close my eyes, and think of you to ease my mind†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Peace is hard to find because of the wars that are happening but his life is changing. Now in his life he feels better about himself but he still thinks about the burdens of life. Additionally, John Legend closes his eyes to dream of her to relax and ease his mind so she can take him to another place that is peaceful and away from the wars where there is love and grace. In the beginning, he didn’t have a faith but now it is restored because of her and what she has done. His faith was gone because of how sad he was before he prayed. All he could do was pray and after his woman came down he no longer worries about the wars anymore. Also, John Legend felt like he was at peace with himself and the world now. Therefore, in the song â€Å"Refuge (When It’s Cold Outside)† the woman that John Legend believes changed his life is his refuge from the world through love. She gives him what he needs which are peace, warmth, love, and faith. He needed peace from this world instead of heartbreak. He needed warmth and love to bring him hope for something better and to keep him from going into the storm, which is really the burdens of life today. John Legend dreams of her to ease his mind off the pain from the world today. Throughout the whole song it all goes back to love. Not only is the angel he has received through his prayers is his answer but she gives me him her love and brightened his life from the storm and clouds.