The Things They Carried

As I read this book in High School, I found it quit confusing on how the other wrote the book and how symbolism played a role. O'brien writes the book as if it was a bunch of short stories put together that shared a similar plot. Each story was a chapter and there was multiple meanings in it. But as I read the one assigned for home work, I looked at it more carefully and tried to pick apart the story so I could understand and find some hidden meanings to it. The more carefully I read it, the more I got interested in the book. The whole war scenario caught my attention when I was first told what the book was about, but as I became more aware about the little things and meanings, I felt as though I had broke the ice. The things they carried was not just some random junk they carried around to protect themselves, they were carrying their own lives. Each person carried something different that they either used in combat or it had a meaning to them. That showed how each person was different in every way and they came from different societies. I was able to write down some questions about the book and hopefully the discussions we have will help me answer them. I am also hoping that they will help my class mates as well and maybe we will be able to find more meanings to the story.