Rat Kiley and The man Tim 0’Brien killed By: Connor and Jared

About Rat Kiley Tangible Things Rat was the medic of the group. He carried comic books, canvas, morphine plasma. He also carried brandy and M&M’s candy Intangible Things He carried the responsibility of taking care of his comrades. He carries grief.

How to Tell a True War Story ~ pg.76 Quotation “Well, that’s Nam,” Mitchell Sanders said. “Garden of Evil. Over here, man, every sin’s real fresh and original.” How to Tell a True War Story ~ pg.76 Rat Kiley decides to shoot a buffalo multiple times. This shows the depression and anger releasing from within Kiley. He felt love towards a fellow comrade, Curt Lemon, and wanted to receive some common courtesy back.

Quotation Thank God for Rat Kiley. Every so often, maybe four times altogether, he trotted back to check me out. Which took courage. The Ghost Soldiers ~ pg. 180 This quotes shows that Rat Kiley cared for his friends. Even during the dangers of war, he would come back to make sure. Completely aware that he was risking his life for the sake of others.

The Man Tim O’Brien Killed The man symbolizes Tim O’Brien. Tim gives this man characteristics and a life very similar to his own. Practically put there to make someone else happy. “He was not a fighter.” The Man I Killed ~ pg. 119 Tim made a honest mistake. For when one starts to give another human qualities, it makes it harder on yourself when you have to kill that person. You have to learn to dehumanize in the war.

The Man Tim O’Brien Killed “The young man could not make himself fight them. He often wanted to, but he was afraid, and that increased his shame.” The Man I Killed ~ pg.121 O’Brien doesn’t exactly possess courage so he gives that trait to the nameless soldier. He knows that other people want him to fight, but that is not his cup of tea. The nameless soldier is a bully to himself.

Lt. Jimmy Cross Theme: Beauty in war By: Hason Lee & Cathy Chang

Name, personality and physical description Name: Jimmy Cross Ranking: Lieutenant Physical description: He’s Caucasian, maybe he’s around his late 20s.

Tangible and intangible things Guns Letters from Martha White pebble (Good luck charm) Majority of military stuff He carried the letters and a pebble because it is his good luck charm and his “love” for Martha. “Love” Guilt of war Guilt of loss soldiers He “loves” Martha and as guilt over the war and loss of his soldiers.

Quotes demonstrating Lt. Cross The Things They Carried: “First Lieutenant Jimmy Cross crouched at the bottom of his foxhole and burned Martha’s letter.” (pg. 22) He shouldn’t have been thinking of Martha during the fire fights and should've thought of her on his free times. In The Field: “Lieutenant Jimmy Cross began composing a letter in his head to the kids father ” (pg. 157) He wrote a letter because he wanted to take responsibility for Kiowa’s death.

Theme: Beauty in war The theme, beauty in war was able to get the troops together during the war. Therefore, that’s how they cooperate which each other and became friends. He wants us to understand that beauty in war is a true war story that is truthful but yet the truth is ugly.

3 Quotations for beauty in war “A true war story is never moral. “ (pg, 65) “How to Tell a True War Story” “On occasions the war was like a Ping-Pong ball. You could put fancy spin on it, you could make it dance.” (pg, 31) “Spin” “ To generalize bout the war is like generalizing about peace.” (pg, 77) “How to Tell a True War Story”

Norman Bowker and Kathleen

Norman Bowker Like many other men in the military, he was a PFC for spec 4. This position meant he carried: the standard M-16 gas-operated assault rifle with ammunition.

Tangible Objects Diary Lucky thumb The diary he carried showed how he coped with the war by writing out his feelings. The lucky thumb he carries, is an example of the desperate measures he will take for what he believes will give him good fortune.

Intangible Norman carried the knowledge that his father wanted him to win a medal. He carried the knowledge that he could die at any minute. He is aware that he could die at any minute. He wasn’t going to let that knowledge affect his choices.

Quotes “Ill tell you something O’Brien. If I could have one wish, anything, I’d wish for my dad to write me a letter and say it’s okay if i don’t win any medals…”(pg.34 spin) This quote shows that Bowker wants to impress his dad but he has really high expectations of him. It makes him seem stressed with all of the pressure put on him. “ Yes, but i didn’tget it. Almost,, but not quite.” (pg. 135, speaking of courage) This quote shows that he is not good at letting things go. He keeps bringing up the silver star becsuse he feels guilty about the death Kiowa. It is easier to talk about the award then to talk about how his friend dies when he could have saved him.

Theme: Kathleen The theme of innocence is expressed by Tim O'brien's daughter, Kathleen. Through this entire story, O’brien expresses innocence and the corruption of that innocence. By using his daughter as the theme, he tries to make the audience understand the connection between an innocent being and a one tarnished. KAthleen is also from ‘the outside’. she doesn't understand the war and what her father experienced.

Quotes- Kathleen “When she was nine, my daughter Kathleen asked if I had ever killed anyone.. It was a difficult moment, but I did what seemed right, which was to say, “Of course not…” (Pg 125, Ambush) “My daughter Kathkeen tells e it’s an obsession, that I should write about a little girl who finds a million dollars and spends it all on a Shetland pony.”(pg 33, Spin)

Qoutes- Kathleen “One morning in Saigon she’d ask what it was all about. “This whole war,” she said, “why was everybody so mad at everybody else?” (pg 175, Field Trip)

Norman Bowker and Kathleen

Norman Bowker Like many other men in the military, he was a PFC for spec 4. This position meant he carried: the standard M-16 gas-operated assault rifle with ammunition.

Tangible Objects Diary Lucky thumb The diary he carried showed how he coped with the war by writing out his feelings. The lucky thumb he carries, is an example of the desperate measures he will take for what he believes will give him good fortune.

Intangible Norman carried the knowledge that his father wanted him to win a medal. He carried the knowledge that he could die at any minute. He is aware that he could die at any minute. He wasn’t going to let that knowledge affect his choices.

Quotes “Ill tell you something O’Brien. If I could have one wish, anything, I’d wish for my dad to write me a letter and say it’s okay if i don’t win any medals…”(pg.34 spin) This quote shows that Bowker wants to impress his dad but he has really high expectations of him. It makes him seem stressed with all of the pressure put on him. “ Yes, but i didn’tget it. Almost,, but not quite.” (pg. 135, speaking of courage) This quote shows that he is not good at letting things go. He keeps bringing up the silver star becsuse he feels guilty about the death Kiowa. It is easier to talk about the award then to talk about how his friend dies when he could have saved him.

Theme: Kathleen The theme of innocence is expressed by Tim O'brien's daughter, Kathleen. Through this entire story, O’brien expresses innocence and the corruption of that innocence. By using his daughter as the theme, he tries to make the audience understand the connection between an innocent being and a one tarnished. KAthleen is also from ‘the outside’. she doesn't understand the war and what her father experienced.

Quotes- Kathleen “When she was nine, my daughter Kathleen asked if I had ever killed anyone.. It was a difficult moment, but I did what seemed right, which was to say, “Of course not…” (Pg 125, Ambush) “My daughter Kathkeen tells e it’s an obsession, that I should write about a little girl who finds a million dollars and spends it all on a Shetland pony.”(pg 33, Spin)

Qoutes- Kathleen “One morning in Saigon she’d ask what it was all about. “This whole war,” she said, “why was everybody so mad at everybody else?” (pg 175, Field Trip)

Norman Bowker and Kathleen

Norman Bowker Like many other men in the military, he was a PFC for spec 4. This position meant he carried: the standard M-16 gas-operated assault rifle with ammunition.

Tangible Objects Diary Lucky thumb The diary he carried showed how he coped with the war by writing out his feelings. The lucky thumb he carries, is an example of the desperate measures he will take for what he believes will give him good fortune.

Intangible Norman carried the knowledge that his father wanted him to win a medal. He carried the knowledge that he could die at any minute. He is aware that he could die at any minute. He wasn’t going to let that knowledge affect his choices.

Quotes “Ill tell you something O’Brien. If I could have one wish, anything, I’d wish for my dad to write me a letter and say it’s okay if i don’t win any medals…”(pg.34 spin) This quote shows that Bowker wants to impress his dad but he has really high expectations of him. It makes him seem stressed with all of the pressure put on him. “ Yes, but i didn’tget it. Almost,, but not quite.” (pg. 135, speaking of courage) This quote shows that he is not good at letting things go. He keeps bringing up the silver star becsuse he feels guilty about the death Kiowa. It is easier to talk about the award then to talk about how his friend dies when he could have saved him.

Symbol: Kathleen The theme of innocence is expressed by Tim O'brien's daughter, Kathleen. Through this entire story, O’brien expresses innocence and the corruption of that innocence. By using his daughter as the theme, he tries to make the audience understand the connection between an innocent being and a one tarnished. KAthleen is also from ‘the outside’. she doesn't understand the war and what her father experienced.

Quotes- Kathleen “When she was nine, my daughter Kathleen asked if I had ever killed anyone.. It was a difficult moment, but I did what seemed right, which was to say, “Of course not…” (Pg 125, Ambush) “My daughter Kathkeen tells e it’s an obsession, that I should write about a little girl who finds a million dollars and spends it all on a Shetland pony.”(pg 33, Spin)

Qoutes- Kathleen “One morning in Saigon she’d ask what it was all about. “This whole war,” she said, “why was everybody so mad at everybody else?” (pg 175, Field Trip)

The Things They Carried – Mitchell Sanders By: Austin H. Tyler B.

Mitchell Sanders He is the RTO of the Alpha Company

The Things He Carried Intangible Tangible Condoms PRC-25 Radio Brass Knuckles Intangible

Quotes “Rat would go on like that until Mitchell Sanders couldn’t tolerate it any longer. It offended his inner ear. ‘The story,’ Sanders would say. ‘The whole tone, man, you’re wrecking it.’” Page 102 “Sweetheart of the Song Tra Bong” Mitchell Sanders likes a good story, he is criticizing the way Rat is telling his story and how he keeps disgressing

The Man Tim O’ Brien Killed He thinks about how his life was before the war, his school life, his friends, and his family. He starts to humanize his enemies and think about their lives before the war. He wants them to understand that people in the war are people, they had lives going to school, working, hanging out with friends, and had families.

Quotes “He was not a Communist. He was a citizen and a soldier.” Page 119 “The Man I Killed” “He was not a fighter. His health was poor, his body small and frail. He liked books. He wanted someday to be a teacher of mathematics.” Page 119 “The Man I Killed”

Tim O’Brien was just another soldier in Alpha company -United States Army 1968-1970 -Sergent -Unit: 46th infantry Regiment 198th Infantry Bridge

Tim O’brien wants the audience to understand that without courage what would you do? where would you be? we are motivated by shame and not by courage. It is a skill that must be learned like everything else. “Right then, with the shore so close, I understood that I would not do what I should do. I would not swim away from my hometown and my country and my life. I would not be brave. That old image of myself as a hero, as a man of conscience and courage, all that was just a threadbare pipe dream.” (Page 57) ● “My conscience told me to run, but some irrational and powerful force was resisting, like a weight pushing me toward the war. What it came down to, stupidly, was a sense of shame." Chapter 4, pg. 52

Curt Lemon Solider

Physical description Young Sharp gray eyes Lean Handsome

Dog tags: he was a solider Fear (of the dentist): His Tangible Intangible Smoke grenades: Rat Kiley and Curt Lemon used the grenades to play catch with. Dog tags: he was a solider Fear (of the dentist): His Youth: He was mentally and physically young

Quotes How to Tell a True War Story (page 65): “A tremendous human being, Rat says. Pretty nutso sometimes, but you could trust him with your life.” This quote from Rat Kiley shows that even though Curt Lemon was youthful and occasionally immature, he was still a trustworthy solider. The Dentist (page 82): “He had an opinion of himself, I think, that was too high for his own good. Or maybe it was the reverse. Maybe it was a low opinion that he kept trying to erase.” This quote from Tim O’Brien demonstrates that Curt Lemon, in doing all of the risky things he did, was trying to prove himself to himself

Coping mechanisms Coping mechanisms are important because they show the reader how the soldiers dealt with grief and loss during and after war. They also show the different ways people deal with tragic moments in their lives.

Quotes that demonstrate the theme Notes (page 152): “I did not look on my work as therapy, and still don’t. yet when I received Norman Bowker’s letter, it occurred to me that the act of writing had led me through a swirl of memories that might otherwise have ended in paralysis or worse.” The Things They Carried (page 19): “They used a hard vocabulary to contain the terrible softness.”

Quotes (continued) How to Tell a True War Story (page 75): “ Rat Kiley lost his best friend in the world. Later in the week he would write a long personal letter to the guy’s sister, who would not write back, but for now it was a question of pain.”