In “The Things They Carried” O’Brien writes about the burdens soldiers face while at war, specifically the Vietnam War.  The soldiers of this war were not as appreciated as soldiers have been in America’s past.  There were no welcome home parades or celebrations.  It is unfortunate because the soldiers were drafted into this terrible war, they did not volunteer but they still faced the judgement from the wars repercussions.  The soldiers of the Vietnam War struggled to cope not only at war, but when they returned home as well.  The mental burdens soldiers face while at war weigh more heavily on them than the gear they carry day in and day out.  

The illusion of hope that Tim O’Brien creates in his short story “The Things They Carried” distracts Jimmy Cross from performing his duties and protecting his men.  Cross is enamored with a young girl named Martha and he finds it impossible to solely focus on work with Martha in the picture.  Cross is not just bogged down with physical baggage, but mental and emotional baggage. Lieutenant Cross was so involved in his love for Marth that he “humped his love for [her] up the hills and through the swamps” (329).  Cross’s fascination goes beyond the point of a mental getaway, but physically he carries it with him every day.  He uses the letters and a pebble Martha sent him as a distraction from the war until it becomes all-consuming and costs Cross one of his men.  In addition to his duties as a lieutenant, he carries the weight of his men’s lives with him.  Cross carries more than just the gear on his back, he also bares the weight of his men’s lives on his back.  He blames himself completely for the death of Ted Lavender because “he had loved Martha more than his men, and as a consequence Lavender was now dead, and this was something he would have to carry like a stone in his stomach for the rest of the war” (336).  The Lieutenant’s hopeless love for Martha has mislead him to the point where he lost a fellow man.  He was caught up in his daydreaming about Martha instead of watching out for each of his men.  By having the burden of love on his mind, it caused Cross to lose a man and now bear the guilt along with him as well.  His emotional distractions cause him physical distress in the end.  Cross’s ranking forces him to endure not only his love for Martha but also the weight of his men’s lives.  

Often times soldiers deal with mental illness while deployed, Ted Lavender’s anxiety overtakes every aspect of his war life.  Fear is expected for soldiers, but it is how they cope with fear that determines their mental stability.  Because Lavender is horrified he “carried 6 or 7 ounces of premium dope, which for him was a necessity” as well as other tranquilizers to calm him down (329).  The fact that Lavender needs to resort to drugs to deal with his mental pain proves that he is more concerned with keeping himself sane than dwelling on the physical hardships of war.  He is trying to keep himself numb by smoking dope and taking tranquilizers and staying under the radar.  Also, his mental instabilities have an effect on the physical weight he carries, “The typical load was 25 rounds.  But Ted Lavender, who was scared, carried 34 rounds when he was shot and killed” (330).  It could have been that the extra weight slowed him down, and ended in him not being able to escape his fate fast enough.  Lavender was willing to bear more physical weight in the form of protection, even if it meant he would not be quick enough to escape.  Ultimately it was his fear that killed him, even if it did put him out of his misery.  Lavender was not meant for war.  He was drafted just like everyone else in the Vietnam War.  Most other soldiers were able to accept that this was their duty, but not Ted Lavender.  He carried extra weight mentally and physically that lead to his downfall.

Kiowa took his families values to war both in his mind and in his family’s belongings.  The first mention of Kiowa states that he is a devout Baptist and brought with him the New Testament given to him by his father.  Having religion while going to war can give a soldier something to have faith and hope in when it is nearly impossible to find.  Although Kiowa comes from a faith based background he also, “carried his grandmother’s distrust of the white man [and] his grandfather’s old hunting hatchet” (329).  It is almost certain that Kiowa was one of the only men of color in his platoon.  That said, not trusting white men is a heavy burden to bare.  In war soldiers are supposed to trust their fellow men with their lives and have each other’s backs no matter what.  In Kiowa’s case he cannot trust the other men in his platoon, so he has to watch out for himself even more-so than the other men.  This also means that if he does not trust the white men, he most likely will not be willing to give his life for them if necessary, or even look out for them.  Kiowa carries his grandfather’s feather hatchet, a connection to his home and Native American heritage.  The hatchet keeps him even more attached to his family and therefore the distrust for white men.  Kiowa has a deeper connection to his family and his background that the rest of the men.

O’Brien tries to demonstrate to readers of “The Things They Carried” that Vietnam soldiers suffered burdens, some more than others, but they all suffered.  Depending on the soldier their mental state can affect how they do their job.  It can determine how they view their fellow soldiers and themselves.  The fact that the story takes place in the Vietnam War also shapes the readers view on the soldiers because it was seen as a highly controversial war, and still is today.  