The Things They Carried, continued
Tim O’Brien
Do Now
 How would you define an honors student?
Objectives
 Make connections between what the soldiers carry and how
that contributes to their character
Homework
 Complete the draft of your letter relating something you
carry to 1) one of the characters in the short story and 2)
someone important in your life that might share the weight
of what you carry
The Things They Carry
 With a partner, take a few minutes to determine which
technique O’Brien uses to tell the story
The Things They Carry, cont.
 First Lieutenant Jimmy Cross
 Henry Dobbins
 Dave Jensen
 Ted Lavender
 Mitchell Sanders
 Lee Strunk
 Norman Bowker
 Rat Kiley
 Kiowa
The Things They Carry, cont.
 In the list of all the things the soldiers carried, what item was
most surprising?
o Which item did you find most evocative of the war?
o Which items stay with you?
The Things They Carry, cont.
 Return to the lists you made during the last class and add
anything – concrete or abstract that you may have forgotten
 Share new ideas
The Things They Carry, cont.
 Circle three (3) of the most significant weights you carry –
note that these things may represent positive or negative
weight
o Each item is important and has an impact on your life in some
way
The Things They Carry, cont.
 Freewrite on each circled item – three (3) items total
o Describe the item
o Give some background information about it
o Explain why you are carrying it
o Explain its symbolic weight
o Connect the item to someone else in your life
The Things They Carry, cont.
 Determine which two items carry the most significance or
most weight
The Things They Carry, cont.
 Assignment: write a letter to someone with whom you can
share the weight of one of these things you carry
o Informal tone but must include details as well as solid and
specific ideas
 i.e. you might choose to write to your best friend to talk about the
positive weight of the picture you carry of the two of you together