The things they carried

The things they carried around Quảng Ngãi province in Vietnam is known for several issues on the past. It was initially inhabited by an SA Huynh culture where its remains still exist. It was comprised of 13 districts which were of massive importance to the story. The location is marked with self-defense units which spread across the area. It was made of guerilla units that were composed of peasants who participated in the Vietnam War. Obrien develops his story for this set up to indicate the nature of work story set up. The events in the province have been used to develop the necessary background and setting for the story. The province was marked with guerilla wars leading to death of several soldiers (OBrien 123). The view about death is vital because it is the focus of the story. The understanding of death is influenced and affected by the situation surrounding the person. As soldiers, walking across the murky sewage plain, the loss of Kiowa brings a new change. The death of Kiowa has been taken and viewed differently according to Obrien. Jimmy cross is the group leader tasked with leading the group.
However, after the death of Kiowa, Cross thinks that he led the team wrongly. Even though, the order is from above, he argues that the failure to address the safety of the group and issues of movement affected the reasoning and the initial belief of the job. Cross argues that he did not choose to lead the group. The wrong choice of camping on the dangerous riverside is regretted by the leader (OBrien 78). The valley represents an area of opinion presentation and analysis. Bowker speaks of courage as he reviews the death of Kiowa. The situation is revisited by the characters, which is the main focus of the story. The experience of the Cross was improved with the death of Kiowa. The title of the story is based on the obsession of the things he soldiers carried.
Cross focused on the wife photo instead of the current situation which includes the death of Kiowa. The task at hand in such case was forgotten until the dawn of reality through death. Inexperience is the major contributor of fear and poor decision making. Cross handles the guilt is an absurd and funny way by accepting the blame in the case of poor judgment. However, the questioning of the role of superiors in offering guidance is evident. The experience and events in the swamp after the location of the body of Kiowa depicts change in perception. The letter to Kiowa’s father is drafted in the mind of Cross because of the fear and guilt (OBrien 89). Cross takes responsibility on the death of the people and facilitates the development of guilt and blame. The story in the province is mixed with several integral issues which include the issues of perception and inadequate training.
The loss of personal control of the situation is depicted by the failure of Cross to identify he unnamed soldier talking to him at the site of Kiowa’s death. Cross is engaged in thinking about the letter to Kiowa’s father. The scene in the story is worse but the characters are not involved in understanding their environment. Most characters are focusing on the lives they left behind rather than their need for acceptance of the current situation. The valley offers an opportunity to revisit and distinguish between utopia and reality.
Works Cited
OBrien, Tim. The Things They Carried. New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2009.