ENGLISH III - CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL SUMMER READING GUIDE

THE THINGS THEY CARRIED by Tim O'Brien
In any war story, but especially a true one, it's difficult to separate what happened from
what seemed to happen --Tim O'Brien
Since its publication in 1990, The Things They Carried has been recognized as one
of the best pieces of fiction about any war. Winner of numerous awards and a finalist for the
Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Critics Award, this novel weavestales of both fact and fiction into an inseparable whole. The author, aVietnam veteran, has given the fictional narrator his own name andvaries between first and third person. Written as a series of linkedshort stories, the book blends events and people into a remarkablepicture of war.
His vignettes carry out his idea that "the crazy stuff is true and the normal stuff isn't ".

Make a "Literary Journal"? and write in it as the reading progresses. Note unusual
terms or words. Comment about the titles of the stories. Write down any questions that
are not answered or things that are left unclear. Research the Vietnam War , the veterans
in recent years, the U.S. and its role in the Asian theater before and after, etc. Are there any
Vietnam vets in the family or neighborhood? Interview them to get a personal viewpoint.

Before reading a book, carefully read the reviews, the back cover, the epigraph,
dedication, information about the author, etc. Learn the meaning of the title and build upon
this knowledge . List the items they carried and think about the variety of things, including
the literal and figurative things they carried. Make a list of the characters , describe each one
of them, and what each carried. Were any of the items surprising? Whichones? What are some reactions to the events and feelings they bring outin the reader?

Note O'Brien's definition of courage as a 21 year old. Would this be different now
when he is older? Is it surprising that he calls his entry into the VIetnam War an act of
cowardice? Agree or disagree. How does the role of shame in their lives drive the soldiers
to acts of heroism or stupidity? Or both? What does O'Brien say about the relationship
between shame and courage? Are some characters more realistic than others?

Sometimes the author tells the reader whether or not the story will have a happy or
tragic ending. Why might he do this? O'Brien says some unusual things about war, such
as that "true war stories are never about war"?. What does he mean when he writes that
"this is a true story that never happened"?? Some of the tales seem fantastic, such as the
story Rat tells in "Sweetheart..."? Does that make it any less compelling? Is MaryAnne real?

Should the men feel at fault for another's death? How do they cope with these
feelings of culpability? Do you understand the distinction he is making between
"happening truth"? and "story truth"?? Does it matter overall to theunderstanding of the book? Does the reader's opinion of O’Brien changeas the tales progress? What about
his actions in "Ghost Soldiers"?? He does not tell the ending of this one in advance. Why
might the author want this story to be especially suspenseful?

Are there changes in personalities and values as the soldiers adapt to a dangerous
environment? Based on the characters, is humanity's survival instinct its strongest trait?
Is that why the author wrote this book? Or might there other reasons?

Now that the novel has been read, what else is carried by the veteranswho survived this terrible war? What physical, emotional, orpsychological baggage is still
carried with those who came home from Vietnam? Is there a similar war going on now?