
By understanding the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), we can conclude that Lieutenant Jimmy Cross in The Things They Carried has developed PTSD because of Ted Lavenders death. This is important because when Vietnam War veterans returned home to America, they were mistreated and people did not take their mental illnesses seriously and this would likely be the case for Jimmy Cross. The Things They Carried is a story of an American platoon fighting in the Vietnam War. They face many psychological struggles during their time fighting in Vietnam, including the death of one of their own, Ted Lavender. The platoon is led by Lieutenant Jimmy Cross, who is distracted by his so-called love affair with a girl from home. The author, Tim O’Brien describes the shortcuts the men would take to make their daily lives easier, like leaving behind excess ammunition and weapons. However, this all changes when Ted Lavender dies. As a result of his death, Jimmy Cross tears up his letters from Martha, the girl he loved from home and decides that he needs to forget about his past and give his men the best chance at coming out of Vietnam alive. By looking at the story, we can see how susceptible Vietnam War veterans were to PTSD. Also, by considering outside sources, it becomes clear that the Veterans were disrespected and underappreciated upon their return home to America, the country they were fighting for.

Post-traumatic stress disorder can be defined as a mental health condition that is triggered by a terrifying event. One symptom of PTSD is hypervigilance, which is an enhanced state of sensory sensitivity, which can lead to exaggerated behaviors, because one is trying to detect threats. Additional symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder include: self-destructive behavior, social isolation, emotional detachment, loss of interest, and hostility. Additionally, a person is more likely to experience post-traumatic stress disorder if he is directly exposed to combat or other war time events (Bower 2). This is significant because Lieutenant Jimmy Cross was directly exposed to war time events, which evidences that he could be at an elevated risk of developing PTSD. Developing PTSD is a very mentally draining thing as the victims continuously relive the traumatic moments that caused their condition in the first place. It is even worse for men and women who fought in the Vietnam War, because they were mistreated, disrespected, and not offered proper treatment or support upon their return home to America.

An article by Bruce Bower argues that Veterans exposed to combat or other war time events are more likely to develop PTSD. This is so, because they have been directly exposed to so many traumatic events. Many veterans have seen some of their best friends be killed. As a result of their exposure to so many traumatic, frightening events, veterans are more likely to develop PTSD. Lieutenant Jimmy Cross was an officer who directly fought in the Vietnam War. Jimmy Cross was directly exposed to combat; therefore the chances of him developing PTSD are elevated, so it makes sense that Ted Lavender’s death caused Jimmy Cross to develop PTSD. After Ted Lavenders death, Lieutenant Jimmy Cross decides he must dispose of his good luck pebble and he considers swallowing it. His consideration of swallowing the pebble is an example of an exaggerated behavior that he is doing to avoid the threat of being distracted. This shows hypervigilance. Additionally, after Ted Lavenders passing, Lieutenant Jimmy Cross “sat at the bottom of his foxhole and wept” (336). Then, the morning following Lavenders death, Lieutenant Jimmy Cross sat at the bottom of his foxhole again. These behaviors show how after Lavenders death, Lieutenant Jimmy Cross socially isolated himself. Furthermore, after Lavenders death, Lieutenant Cross burned Martha’s letters and he decided that he had hated Martha. These actions evidence that he experienced emotional detachment and loss of interest, because he no longer felt like he loved Martha and he decided he must forget about her. Finally, Lieutenant Cross displayed hostility when he “led his men into the village of Than Khe. [And] they burned everything. They shot chickens and dogs, they trashed the village well, they called in artillery and watched the wreckage” (336). Ultimately, it is evident that Lieutenant Cross develops symptoms of PTSD after Ted Lavenders death and this makes a great deal of sense because those who are directly exposed to combat or other war like events are more likely to develop PTSD. 

PTSD has some long lasting, harmful effects not only on the victim, but on their family, as well. Those that suffer from PTSD have a hard time feeling emotion and this can lead to relationship problems as well as violence. Additionally, PTSD tends to have negative effects on the family members of those suffering. These effects include: avoidance, depression, anger, guilt, and even turning to drugs and alcohol. Likewise, children of those suffering from PTSD tend to have behavioral problems. The effects PTSD has on a victim makes it difficult for them to go about daily life. The effects of PTSD often make it hard to be around someone who has it (Effects of PTSD).

During the Vietnam War, Americans were accustomed to winning the wars they took part in, like World War II. It came as a shock to America when the Vietnam War was lost. After the war, when Vietnam veterans returned home and they were not respected. In fact, they were treated very poorly. Veterans returning home had a very tough time adjusting, especially those diagnosed with mental illnesses such as PTSD. Because of their loss in the war, Americans felt that the veterans did not measure up to their predecessors that fought in previous wars such as World War II.  The veterans were treated horribly, for instance, “it was not an uncommon scene for returning soldiers to be confronted at the airports by protesters carrying signs with anti-war slogans.” Furthermore, protesters would even use signs to attack the soldiers and sometimes urine was even thrown at the veterans. Soldiers would often be refused service at restaurants. Lastly, “movies and television shows began depicting returning soldiers as deranged monsters even before the war ended. During the Second World War and Korea, Hollywood was solidly behind the war effort and the troops” (Moffet). Ken Moffet’s article shows how when veterans returned home, they were not respected. It also evidences how veterans with mental illnesses were not respected. When portrayed in Hollywood, the veterans were displayed as deranged monsters, not people who just risked their lives for America and are now suffering from mental illness. This shows how people thought that a soldier having a mental illness made them a monster. This is important because it shows how instead of being cared for, veterans were alienated which is likely what will happen to Jimmy Cross.

Conclusively, in Tim O’Brien’s The Things They Carried, Lieutenant Jimmy Cross led his platoon in the Vietnam War, facing physical and psychological struggles along the way, including the death of one of their own: Ted Lavender. After the Vietnam War, veterans would often return home to America and be greatly mistreated. Things were thrown at them, they were called rude, degrading names, and the mental illnesses some had developed were not taken seriously. This is significant because after the death of Ted Lavender, Lieutenant Jimmy Cross begins to exhibit symptoms of PTSD. As a consequence of this, he is going to be disrespected upon his return home rather than being given necessary help. 
