The Things They Carried
by Tim O’Brien
Study Guide
NAME: __________________________________________
Period: ___________
Points Possible: ________ / 230 - Project Grade! (40% of overall grade)
Complete the selected questions:
“The Things They Carried”
1. Explain the meaning of the title, “The Things They Carried.”
2. Why is it important to describe the “weight” of the items? What is this a metaphor
for?
3. Why does Jimmy Cross burn Martha’s letters and photos? How does he change after
he burns them? Is this change good?
________/15
The Things They Carried (poster is worth 50 points!)
Group Assignment:
1.
Each group will be assigned a character to review
2.
You will find one quote that captures the essence of your character (be sure to include page #)
3.
Within your group you are to create a visual of the “things they carried,” indicating what the
figurative meaning behind the objects or the insights that the objects give to the character’s
personal beliefs, ideals, values, morals ect…You need at least 4 LITERAL items and 4
FIGURATIVE items
4.
Each group will present their character visual to the class
5. This completed handout along with your visual will be graded
Group Member’s Names:
Our Character:_________________________________
& Our Quote: ________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________ Page: ________
The Objects our character carried & their meanings or significance:
4 literal items:
4 figurative items:
_______ / 15
“On the Rainy River”
1. "On the Rainy River" is perhaps the moral center of the book. In this section we
meet Elroy Berdahl. What does he symbolize?
2. What does Elroy Berdahl do that leads O’Brien to call him “the hero of my life”?
3. Why doesn’t Berdahl ask O’Brien why he’s there?
4. Read pp. 55-61 ("On my last full day..."), on the edge of the Canadian border. At one
point (p. 56), O'Brien asks, "What would you do?" Well, what would you do?
Answer O’Brien’s rhetorical questions below.
5. Why doesn’t O’Brien go to Canada?
6. At the end of this section, O'Brien calls himself a coward. How do you understand
this self-judgment? Do you agree with it? If he had made another decision, what
would he have been?
_______/20
“Enemies” & “Friends”
Define Juxtaposition:
What do Jensen & Strunk fight over?
What could be a deeper reason behind their issues? Why is fighting with your platoon mates
even more difficult during a time of war?
How are these 2 stories examples of juxtaposition?
Do you think either would have been able to follow through with their promise to take the
other’s life? Why/why not?
_______ / 20
“How to Tell a True War Story”
1. Read pp. 80-82 ("How do you generalize..."). Can you relate to any of this? If so, to
what parts of your life do these comments connect?
2. O’Brien defines a “true war story” throughout “How to Tell a True War Story.”
What are the qualities of a “true war story,” according to O’Brien?
3. Which of the stories that are told in this story qualify as “true war stories”? Which
do not qualify?
4. How many times are we told the story of Curt Lemon’s death? What are the
differences in the way the story is told?
5. Explain the last paragraph of the story.
______/20
“The Sweetheart of Song Tra Bong”
1. Is this a believable story? Could it be true?
2. Rat Kiley says about Mary Anne, “At least she was real.” Do you agree with that
judgment?
3. What does Tim O’Brien interrupt the story so often with comments from the
characters? What does Mitchell Sanders say about the tone of a story?
______/15
A Soldier’s Sweetheart
Comment on the casting of this movie. Do you agree with the portrayal of Rat
Kiley?
What aspects of the story are most accurately depicted in the movie? In other
words, what lines/moments are exactly how you pictured them?
What were you confused about that the movie helped to clarify?
Evaluate the closing scene of the movie. Did you think it was
effective/believable? Why/why not?
_______/2o
“The Man I Killed”
What was the author’s purpose for including this chapter? Give specific details to
illustrate your understanding/comprehension of this chapter. Who is telling this story?
Why does he use so many details?
______ / 20
“Ambush” and “Style”
1. Do you think it is wrong to ask a war Veteran if he or she ever killed a person?
Why/why not?
2. What does O’Brien say? Why is this his reply to her?
3. Why do YOU think the girl is dancing? There is no right or wrong answer to this
question…just a complete and thoughtful answer.
_____ / 20
“Speaking of Courage” & “Notes”
Who is this story about?
What is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (look it up if you don’t know)? Is this what the
character is suffering from? Why/why not? What internal conflicts does the character
struggle with?
Why was it so hard for him to talk to other people about his experience?
What is the effect of “Notes”? Why does O’Brien include this section? How does it
change your understanding of “Speaking of Courage”?
_______ / 20
“In the Field”
In this chapter O’Brien writes, “When a man died, there had to be blame.” Are the
soldiers justified in thinking themselves at fault? How do they cope with their own
feelings of guilt? What is the role of shame in the lives of these soldiers? Does it drive
them to acts of shame or heroism or stupidity? Use this chapter to EXPLAIN fully using
this chapter or reference other chapters from the novel!
_______ / 20
“In Good Form” and “The Ghost Soldiers”
1. In “Good Form,” O’Brien casts doubt on the truth of the entire novel. Why does he do
this?
2. Does it make you more or less interested in the novel? WHY?
3. Does it increase or decrease your understanding of the novel? WHY – use examples
from the chapter.
4. What is the difference between “happening-truth” and “story-truth”?
5. What does O’Brien do in “The Ghost Soldiers”?
6. How do you feel about these actions?
7. “The Ghost Soldiers is one of the only stories that the reader doesn’t know the ending
in advance. Why might O’Brien want this story to be particularly suspenseful?
_______ / 25