The Things They Carried

Chapter 22: Analysis Questions

While reading the chapter, focus on the elements of craft commonly found in prose literature,
while also using the following questions to help guide your analysis and annotations. Then
answer each of the following questions in at least 3-4 concise sentences.

DO NOT RESEARCH THESE ONLINE!

CHALLENGE YOUR INTELLECT AND DO THE WORK YOURSELF!

1. Analyze how this chapter is different than every other chapter in the novel and the author’s
decision in writing it as such:
In this chapter the author goes back and forth through snippets of his life showing us how stories
can preserve moments in time and how they can bring someone back to life. He also uses these
flashbacks to show the reader how his past relates to the message he is trying to convey from the
war. He shows how his imagination was able to keep people alive ever since he was a child.

2. Examine Tim O’Brien’s character development throughout the chapter--from his youth to his
adult self--and include two direct quotes to support your analysis:
As the chapter progresses we see O’Brien accept death by replaying his memories of them so
that they’re not completely gone. At the beginning he shows his struggle to accept death when he
refuses to shake the dead man’s hand, describing it as “a mental block or something...I don’t
know, just creepy” (215). By the end of the chapter O’Brien can cope with people’s deaths by
using his imagination and stories. When he replays his memories he “can see Kiowa, too, and
Ted Lavender and Curt Lemon, and sometimes I can even see Timmy skating with Linda under
the yellow floodlights” which allows him to preserve the lives of his friends and the ones he
loves (232).

3. In formal, clear, and concise sentences, state the TWO main themes of this chapter and briefly
explain their meaning:

A. Preserving memories of those we have lost in order to cope with their death and continue
to give them life. In order to accept death O’Brien has to keep people’s stories alive in
order to believe that they aren’t completely gone. The finality of death scares him so
replaying memories of those who were close to him is vital in order to be able to cope.

B. The past affects a person’s future by shaping their values and beliefs. O’Brien’s way of
coping with death is from his childhood trauma when Linda dies. Because of this, he is
able to use memories to keep people alive which he uses in the war.
4. In addition to the themes from the previous question, identify at least EIGHT to TEN other
themes from the novel as a whole in bullet point form. They should be formal sentences that
specifically convey a lesson. Feel free to copy and paste from previous chapter questions.
1. The masculine stereotypes that are forced onto to men causing them to be embarrassed to
show fear.
2. Having to sacrifice one's emotions for a military mindset in order to focus and survive the
war.
3. War’s ability to amplify the cruelty and morality in people because of the trauma they
have to endure.
4. The power politicians hold allows them to make life-threatening decisions that
disproportionately affect the lower class.
5. Civilians' inability to understand the trauma and mentality soldiers experience in war.
6. The guilt soldiers carry affects how difficult it is to assimilate back into society and move
on from their experiences in war.
7. The irrational fears and paranoia that plague people’s minds cause them to act out in
violence towards the smallest irritations.
8. The relief and excitement the soldiers experience when someone dies because of how
terrified they are of death.