Tim O’Brien tries to reveal that the fear of being shamed before one's peers is a

motivating factor in war. He brings light to what the soldiers must go through in war and defines
their backstories. O’Brien believes the truth to be that every person in the book is more than just
a soldier. Rather than the physical struggles, O’Brien emphasizes the weight of the mental
struggles and how emotions had played a big part in the soldier’s life. The things they carried
was anything but the actual equipment.

Enemies: I ranked this chapter as good because after the whole conflict between the two, Jenson
couldn’t relax and was so paranoid that he decided to break his own nose to declare a truce. This
helps my thesis because it shows that the soldier is human and feels guilt and emotion.

Friends: I ranked this chapter as a level above good. When Strunk got seriously injured and he
didn’t want Jenson to kill him or put him out of his misery anymore Jenson agreed, but when he
had died it was a major relief to Jenson because he wanted to stay a man of his word. This helps
develop my thesis because it shows that the soldiers have morals and things they stand by.

How To Tell a True War Story: I ranked this chapter as the best one (not because Ms.Cocchiola
said so ) . This story mainly talks about the different aspects of telling a true war story like how
it’s never supposed to be moral. However, O’Brien shows when Kiley shot the animal repeatedly
because Lemon’s sister didn’t write back. He is acting out of anger and expressing emotion
which helps defend my thesis.

Sweetheart of the Song Tra Bong: I ranked this one a level below good.  Sweetheart of the Song
Tra Bong is primarily about how anyone can be consumed by their own darkness. O’Brien shows
that no matter what the circumstances were, the people that were exposed to the Vietnam War were
affected greatly. It depicts a girl named Mary-Anne who was bubbly and sweet when she had first
come in but later she was transformed into a mean, cold hearted killer. This supports my thesis as it
shows how emotions took over her and made her lose control from right and wrong. Thus
supporting that the soldiers and people in the war had carried burdens of heavy emotions.