What's the "Big Idea"?

Even though The Things They Carried is set during the Vietnam War, in what ways is it relevant today, with regard to war and politics as well as our personal struggles? 

As you read the novel, which parts did you connect/relate to best in terms of the struggles, character relationships, or in other ways?

What did you gain from reading this novel? What would you say is the "Big Idea" (or universal lesson) of this novel that will stick with you after reading it?

Ghost Soldiers

The narrator of the story "The Ghost Soldiers" says, "When you're afraid, really afraid, you see things you never saw before, you pay attention to the world." What might he mean by this?

Discuss O'Brien's war injuries and why he wants revenge on Bobby Jorgenson.

Examine O'Brien's reaction to being reassigned away from the heat of battle and what happens when the men from Alpha Company return to base.

Discuss O'Brien's meeting with Jorgenson and O'Brien's and Azar's plan for revenge.

How has O'Brien changed throughout the war?

Speaking of Courage...

In "Speaking of Courage," the narrator says, "Sometimes the bravest thing on earth was to sit through the night and feel the cold in your bones. Courage was not always a matter of yes or no." How does the narrator define courage? How do you define it?

Analyze the effects of the war on Norman Bowker.

Examine his thoughts after he returns from the war: what might have been, what he wishes for, and what he finds.

Discuss the medals that Normal received, and analyze why he keeps referring to the medal he did not receive.

Why does Bowker write to O'Brien? What is the effect of this letter on O'Brien?

What happens to Bowker? Why?

Bittersweet

In "Sweetheart of the Song Tra Bong," what causes the transformation in Mary Anne Bell?
How does Rat Kiley's telling of the story add to the tension?
What does the story say about the Vietnam experience?
What was your reaction to this story?
O'Brien states: "What happened to her...was what happened to all of them. You come over clean and you get dirty and then afterward it's never the same" (114). What is your response to this quote? How does it apply to Vietnam? Can you relate this idea to life as well? How so?

On Rainy River

At the end of "On the Rainy River," the narrator says, "I was a coward. I went to the war." What does he mean by this? Do you agree?

Why has O'Brien never told this story before? Why does he decide to do so now?

Describe Elroy and analyze his influence on O'Brien and his ultimate decision. How does O'Brien reach his decision about whether or not to go to war? What role does shame/embarrassment/masculinity play in this decision?

What were your thoughts while reading this section? As always, feel free to respond to the above prompts or add your own ideas, questions, and interpretations. You may also respond to your classmates' posts, so we can have some interesting exchanges and debates.

What Are the Things They Carry?

In the title story, how do the things the men carry help define them as individuals?

What can you tell about the men based on what they carry?

Are the literal things they carry symbolic of something figurative they carry?

What do they things show us about what they men value, desire, fear, etc.?

What are some of the more interesting items?

What is the best thing that someone carries? The worst? The strangest?

Which "things" were unexpected? What would you carry if you went to war?

The Things They Carried: What is the Truth?

Although the blog posts for the first books aren't due until July 20th, I want to give you the opportunity to begin posting for the last book in case you're ready. To begin, I should confess that this is one of my favorite books. We'll be rolling up our sleeves in writing workshop this year and writing in many genres, and O'Brien has that storytelling magic that we will strive to imitate in our own ways, as we tell our own stories. As you read this book, think about this question: What are the things you carry (both literal and figurative)? Are these things a help or a burden to you? Why do you carry them? Hmmm...that sounds like a good creative writing assignment for the beginning of the year if I do say so myself.

The narrator of The Things They Carried has the same name as the book's author. How did this affect your response to the book? As you read, think about O'Brien's claim, "A thing may happen and be a total lie; another thing may not happen and be truer than the truth." Although this is a work of fiction, does it indeed tell the "truth"? How so?

In "How to Tell a True War Story," what does the narrator say on this subject? What do you think makes a true war story?

In "Good Form," the narrator says, "I want you to feel what I felt. I want you to know why story-truth is truer sometimes than happening-truth." What does he mean by "story truth" and "happening-truth"? Why might one be "truer" than the other?