1. How does O'Brien use The Things They Carried to address the psychological impact of his war experience? In "The Things They Carried" Tim O'Brien uses this story as a coping mechanism; to tell some of his stories and other fictional stories of the Vietnam War. This is demonstrated using the voice of a fictional character, the deeper meaning of what the soldier was carrying, motivation in decision making, telling a war story, becoming a new person, and the outcome of a war in a person. Tim O'Brien uses a psychological approach to tell his sorrows and some happiness from his war stories. Each part, each story is supposed to represent a deeper meaning of how O'Brien has dealt with and will deal with his past. In war, a way to discover and invent new ways to free oneself from pressure, O'Brien's writing is all about this; these stories will make the reader understand his burden. A deeper meaning in what a soldier took with him to war from which supplies were needed for good luck charms or something to remind him of home. The things that each person carried with them show more who the soldier really is or who he wants to be in front of the other soldiers, trying to become someone else. The different pieces each carries with them will remind them of home "Jimmy Cross carried letters from a girl named Martha... Mitchell Sanders carried condoms... Kiowa... carried an illustrated New Testament..." (Tim O'Brien The Things They Carried page 3) Each soldier carried what was necessary such as food, weapons, bullets etc. but the personal things they carried made each different from that crowded but large space between each soldier. Tim O'Brien uses this description to introduce the characters and how each of them starts from a little...... middle of paper...... met; it's almost like a memoir to make the novel more approachable. A physical and emotional burden carried by a war platoon. Things that everyone carries with them, it tells many things about a person, the book leans more towards an emotional and spiritual aspect through the life of a person, especially the changing one as a soldier would experience it. O'Brien Stories goes beyond war; he delves into every event, every character and every place, like a diary in which to write everything to face the experience, wondering that someone else will read it. Tim O'Brien let his imagination flow; he wanted to integrate his stories, along with stories that were close to him. In the end, it doesn't matter if it's fictional or not, it's a part of him in every chapter of The Things They Carried, that he chose to share with every reader. Works Cited Tim O'Brien- The Things They Carried