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Essay / Research Paper Abstract
This 4 page paper examines Tim O'Brien's short story "The Things They Carried" with specific regard to what Jimmy Cross carried, and what these items symbolize. Bibliography lists 1 source.
Page Count:
4 pages (~225 words per page)
File: D0_HVJCross.rtf
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Unformatted sample text from the term paper:
the few works that is written from the perspective of the soldiers in the field. This paper discusses the symbolism OBrien uses in regard to Jimmy Cross, and how they
develop his character. Discussion The first thing that OBrien mentions is the love letters from Martha; in fact, this is the first line of the story: "First Lieutenant Jimmy Cross
carried letters from a girl named Martha, a junior at Mount Sebastian College in New Jersey. They were not love letters, but Lieutenant Cross was hoping, so he kept them
folded in plastic at the bottom of his rucksack" (OBrien, 1986). There are also numerous mentions throughout the story of the fact that Martha is a virgin. Together, then, the
letters symbolize ideal, romantic love: the girl is a virgin, waiting at home for her boyfriend to return, at which point theyll get married, she will make love for the
first time, and theyll go on live the American Dream. The letters are a symbol of Jimmy Crosss basic innocence-about Martha, and about the war. He will lose his innocence
by the end of the story. He knows, deep down, that she doesnt love him and is not waiting for him, but he seems to need the illusion to give
him a reason to keep going. Its the illusion that he will come through the war unhurt, return to the States and take up a normal life as if nothing
ever happened. At the beginning of the story hes focused on Martha and therefore turned inward, away from the reality of the situation. He is not a bad commander because
he genuinely cares about his men, but his preoccupation with Martha is making him careless. When Ted Lavender is killed, it is a turning point for Jimmy Cross. As the
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