Characters
What did author Tim O'Brien do before becoming a writer?
He was a soldier who fought in the Vietnam War.
Who is the main character the novel follows?
Tim O'Brien (Certain chapters follow different characters, but most focus on O'Brien).
Which member of Alpha Company died in the sewage field?
Kiowa
What war is "The Things They Carried" about?
The Vietnam War
List three things that were carried by the soldiers in the novel. (These can be something that they all carried or unique to one character.)
A rifle, a canteen, grenades, a Bible, letters, etc.
How does O'Brien describe Curt Lemon's death?
O'Brien said it looked like Lemon stepping into the sunlight and was sucked into the air.
Who is the commander of Alpha Company?
Lieutenant Jimmy Cross
What did Tim O'Brien do when he got his draft notice?
He attempted to flee to Canada.
Who wrote "The Things They Carried"?
Tim O'Brien
What did Kiowa always carry with him?
An illustrated New Testament Bible
What was the name of the girl Jimmy Cross was in love with?
Martha
Which character from the novel committed suicide due to his PTSD?
Norman Bowker
Who was the first member of Alpha Company to Die?
Ted Lavender
How is "The Things They Carried" different from other war novels?
Most war books were based on nationalism and patriotism, and attempt to glorify war and soldiers. “The Things They Carried” instead focuses on the effects of war on the soldiers who fought it.
What does the sewage field represent in the novel?
The randomness, uncertainty, and danger of war
How did Lee Strunk and Dave Jensen become friends?
Jensen broke Strunk's nose in a fight over a pocketknife.
How did Ted Lavender calm down while in Vietnam?
He used tranquilizers
What action did O'Brien most regret during the war?
Killing a Vietnamese soldier
Why did O'Brien begin writing "The Things They Carried"?
To cope with his trauma and PTSD from the war.
Which character from Rat Kiley's story represents the corrupting power of war?
Mary Ann Bell
Which member of the platoon was disliked because of his cruel jokes and attitude?
Azar
What was the name of O'Brien's first love?
Linda
How did Rat Kiley escape the war?
He shot himself in the foot in order to be medically evacuated.
Is everything written in "The Things They Carried" 100% true? Why or why not?
No. "The Things They Carried" seeks to show war from the POV of a soldier. These soldiers often let fact and fiction blend together due to exhaustion or fear. This means that certain events such as Curt Lemon stepping into the sunlight and the story of Mary Ann Bell are not totally factual. Other chapters focus entirely on what "could have" happened, despite these events never occuring.
What does the Vietnamese Soldier O'Brien killed represent?
Guilt, stripping away of humanity, suffering, the consequences of war