Many authors experience first hand events that will change the way they process ideas, such as college, retreats or war. Tim O’Brien sets a prime example of how the Vietnam war has influenced his style of writing. In, The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien, Tim shows a clear relationship between his personal experience during the Vietnam War and his way of writing. The variety of elements and devices, such as tone and point of view,  prove the hard life being at war and the critical sacrifices that one goes through at war. O’Brien’s first hand experience allows him to express himself with unique details, which allows the reader to understand his mood. Therefore,  the sacrificing experience at war has impacted Tim O’Brien mentally.

According to the Young Adult Literature journal many people have undergone the serious consequences of The Vietnam War (1954-1975)  which was fought around the Southeast Asia region of what is now Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam. The sole purpose of this conflict was to stop the spread of communism that was coming from North Korea and China. This was a war between South Vietnam, The United States, South Korea, Thailand, Australia, New Zealand, Laos, and the Philippines vs. North Vietnam, Viet Cong, Pathet Lao, Khmer Rouge, China, and North Korea. The scenery of the battle field was mostly humid and very warm, deep into the jungles of Vietnam. Constant heavy rainfalls, dangerous wild animals and humidity were encountered often by these soldiers. The U.S. soldiers had no idea who was the enemy, as the Vietnamese were real clever and had effective strategies that made it very difficult for American soldiers. The Vietnamese were very well supplied and had a complex range of tunnels in which they could hide for protection. In little towns and villages, American troops had the most trouble with knowing the enemy since The Vietnamese people, including wives' and little boys would help the Vietcong by housing them or setting up traps. The children were used as bombs; for when they got near a group of American soldiers, a bomb would explode off of that child. For this, American soldiers would kill any civilians regardless of expression, gender, size, color etc. As a result the American Army were titled as “Baby Killers”, causing extreme frustration and low morale. Many soldiers fell into doing drugs to try to ignore the horrors of war. The soldiers were fighting for America, yet America wasn’t supporting them which led to complete desperation from part of the troops. “Despite his loneliness, confusion, fear, and at times his guilt for having lived when his fellow soldiers have not, Perry survives and comes to trust and care deeply for several of his companions. They give him courage and reason to live.” (Johannessen 44). In this quote Perry is very traumatized with his companion being killed, which is affecting his thoughts greatly. The quote explains that Perry was convinced that he did not want to live anymore. That signifies that his emotions and thoughts are closed minded by not thinking in his family or living at home. Therefore, the war has caused Perry to commit suicide. However, that does not happen because he was convinced from his other companions that dying is not the solution. This proves that a battle can traumatize your views and ways of thinking because Perry did not think of killing himself when he enlisted into war. Though, as the life at war got more difficult, his thoughts of killing himself were impacted from the war.

Tim O’ Brien describes many accurate aspects that relate to the war in real life. For example, when he explains the objects the soldier carried with them, it relates to the equipment they needed for war. O’Brien states “The things they carried were largely determined by necessity….pocket knives, heat tabs, mosquito repellent, chewing gum, candy, cigarettes…” (328).  Besides the actual objects they carried, O’Brien implied that not only did they carry physical objects but emotional objects as well. Cross, the lieutenant, carried a fantasy for his girl, Martha. He carries the two photographs and her letters, which symbolizes his love and desire for her. Soldiers in fact did carry items like those in order to motivate them to not give up because it is their family, whom they were fighting for. Unfortunately for Cross, his love and desire got too much into his head that blinded him for a little of where he was at: a war scene. Due to this, he blames himself for not being attentive over his buddy, Lavender. In other words, Cross’s “items” which happened to be his love and preference for Martha, has been the consequence of his incautious and unaware attention at the battlefield that has affected him immensely. Lavender’s death affected Cross’s point of view, in the sense that O’Brien includes key words that show Cross’s emotions. “The lieutenant’s in some deep hurt. I mean that crying jag-the way he was carrying on-…”(336). This proves Cross’s sadness and deep hurt feelings, and for this sad death, he decides to let go of Martha and forget about her. Because he blames her for not being able to protect Lavender, his mind was set somewhere else where he should have been focused on his mates. It is for Lavender’s death that Cross decides to become more closed minded. 

Another accurate aspect that took place in was mental health issues. This was a tough war, and many soldiers suffered cruel hardships such as, suffocating heat, nonstop of firing guns, and facing near death. These inhuman conditions caused their mind to panic and to be paranoid for the rest of their lives. Their healthy sane brains have evolved a trauma over this conflict that has been kept in their minds for a long period. Panic and fear has influenced the text by setting up a chaotic tone. For example, “…when they twitched and made moaning sounds and covered their heads and said Dear Jesus….cringed and sobbed and begged for the noise to stop and went wild and made stupid promises to themselves and to God…”(337). The difficulty of war has been a consequence for these soldiers to become paranoid and afraid of war. For this reason, the story is told in an emotional tone that allows the reader to understand the difficulties at war. Because of this, O’Brien tells this part with so much detail, because he has lived through this, which makes the story credible. 

After all, there is a relationship that correlates between the text and the actual war. For example, the mental health issues, the carrying of different war equipment is all true. Most equipment they needed is very essential, and the long term effects of war resulted into having insomnia, developing paranoia, and many other issues. The effect of having these details into play is that it creates a connection with the reader, who most likely hasn’t experienced fighting at war, and allows them to sympathize for those who fought in the war. The tone and the point of view help the reader understand the situation at a deeper than what a normal history class teaches fellow students. O’Brien goes all out when explaining his theme, which is nothing lasts forever. For example, Lavender’s death, and Cross’s love for Martha. Cross had a huge desire for Martha, however when Lavender died, Cross didn’t expect that to affect  him to much, which is was then, he decided to stop allusions himself with Martha. Cross blames himself for his death due his love thoughts that had Cross distracted. Ultimately, the things they carried, impacted the soldier’s mentally and physically, which proves that whether you are on the battlefield or at home, everything has an end, just like Cross’s love for Martha, and Lavender’s death.

The story brings about many different emotions that us, readers, didn't ponder on. The Vietnam war was more than a war, it was a total loss, an immense hell that only brought more conflict and not to mention the veteran’s traumatization which has impacted them significantly. This story wants us to know that war is not the solution to end conflict.  Even though it does not state that directly, the author describes the suffering they encountered during war. Nobody deserves that and people should act and learn from this war.
