realism were used to capture the audience and draw them into the actual events in the story, allowing them to feel the burden of emotional and physical weight on the characters, who were fighting to preserve their sanity and lives. The vivid detail and realistic narration were only tools used by the author to prepare a story that goes beyond the war in Vietnam, focusing on the other things that soldiers carried - inner thoughts, feelings, and emotions.

The story was brought to life by the realistic but disjointed narration of the author, illustrated by returning to the death of Ted Lavender throughout the story. Someone who had actually experienced similar events could only write the story with such detail. The r

boyish leader with dreams of Martha being his escape from the senseless reality of the war. When one of his men was killed he accepted the responsibility and guilt, which changed him into the leader he thought he should have been - forgetting Martha and protecting his men. This plot linked together all the actions and events that happened in the story.

"The Things They Carried" contained all the elements of a work of fiction to justify calling it a story. There was special emphasis on detailed description and realistic narration - a result of the author's own experiences. It was a story about the human spirit under extreme psychological pressure at an age when life was just beginning, and how each soldier dealt with the circumstances.

103. Detroit: Gale Research Co., 1998.

Some common words found in the essay are:
Joanne McCarthy, O'Brien's Carried, Ted Lavender, Jimmy Cross, Tim O'Brien, Cross Martha, Criticism Vol, Research Co, throughout story, realistic narration, detailed description, jimmy cross,
Approximate Word count = 531
Approximate Pages = 2 (250 words per page double spaced)