Tim O'Brien's novel ''The Things They Carried' is a fictionalized account of how the Vietnam War impacted the lives of the
soldiers who fought there. The paper
shows that with this war comes no glory, honor or nobility. Instead, we find a common theme of fear, terror and angst associated with the war. The paper shows that, with his unique style, O'Brien brings the soldier's difficulties to the forefront through extremely personal experiences. In addition, O'Brien employs different literary techniques of point of view and imagery to provoke our
imagination. The paper argues that O'Brien's narrative style is brutally honest, leaving practically nothing to the imagination. While these stories may be difficult to read, they are necessary because they capture the cold-blooded essence of war that O'Brien wishes to convey.