English 1 & 2

Allison Finn Pinto

The Things They Carried Essay

Choose one of the following prompts and respond to it in an essay. Remember that these are just what
they are called - prompts - and that you should explore implications and themes rather than simply
answering a question (you will find no questions here).
Prompt One
A symbol is an object, action, or event that represents some thing or that creates a range of associations
beyond itself. In literary works a symbol can express an idea, clarify meaning, or enlarge literal meaning.
Choose one symbol in The Things They Carried and write an essay analyzing how that symbol functions
in the work and what it reveals about the characters or themes of the work as a whole. (AP Literature
and Composition Exam question, 2009)
Symbols you've considered in class that would be worth considering for this question are
(certainly there are other symbols; please dont feel limited by these):
Water
Mary Anne
The shit field

Prompt Two
Both Henry Vs rousing speech in Shakespeares Henry V and Tennysons poem The Charge of the Light
Brigade glorify battle not only for those who live through it, but also for those who die fighting.
Examine the relevance of this culture of glorification and the effect it has on the characters in The Things
They Carried?
This story shall the good man teach his son;
And Crispin Crispian shall ne'er go by,
From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be rememberedWe few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother (Shakespeare Henry V IV.iii)
When can their glory fade?
O the wild charge they made!
All the world wondered.
Honor the charge they made,
Honor the Light Brigade,
Noble six hundred. (Tennyson)
Prompt Three
Dave Grossman, a writer and psychologist referenced in The Price of Valor, calls war a psychological
event. In our discussions we have considered this idea many times and in many different contexts.
Examine Tim OBriens purpose in writing this novel. Remember that it is fiction, that it is also
metafiction, that it has intertextual qualities, and that it breaks the 4th wall.
I feel like this book is written more for Tim O'Brien than it is for us. - Joey
The disorder is personal. It's hard. Maybe the book gives the outsiders a look
into O'Brien's brain. -Shane
Reading this book is like trying to wade through the post-traumatic stress. Like
the guys wading through the shit field. - Alex
Prompt Four
Examine the role of the women in this novel and what they reveal about the meaning of the book as a
whole.

English 1 & 2

Allison Finn Pinto

Prompt Five
We have examined several different motifs in this book, some of which are also symbols (see class notes
page for your work). Trace one motif in this novel and examine what it reveals about the meaning of the
work as a whole (theme).
Motifs you've considered in class that would be worth considering for this question are (certainly
there are other motifs; please dont feel limited by these):
White (from the original Martha)
Fire (from the original Destruction)
Death
Sunlight (from the original weather)/Darkness/Shade
Water

If you have another idea you would like to explore, please let me know. There are many, many options
and I want you to find something you care about on which to focus.
The Fine Print:
Your final essay must:
o Propose an original, thoughtful, and specific claim (thesis).
o Provide an adequate number of examples direct and indirect to illustrate your thesis. Be sure to cite all
examples.
o Draw logical conclusions based on evidence provided.
o Be approximately 4 pages in length. This is a soft rule.
o Be submitted in MLA format. Check online if youve forgotten what this looks like.
o Be turned in to turnitin.com before 11pm on Sunday, March 22nd