The+Things+They+Carried+Meeting+2

__**The Things They Carried**__


 * Tone:** Is a reflective and self-conscious memory story. Tim O'Brien constantly talks about the necessity of not focusing on the truth in life.

The story's overriding emotions consist of many different things both physical and emotional. Throughout the book, all the characters had to deal with the changes to their teammates such as death and battle wounds. They had to fight for their sanity and used the fear of having shame as motivation.

__**Questions**__

Why did Tim O’brien not want to fight in the war?

- He thinks that its causes and effect are uncertain. He also thinks that he is too good to fight in the war.

What stops Tim from running away?(on the rainy river)

- He was going to feel embarrassed not fighting in the war

What is the deal that Dave Jensen and Lee Strunk have? Why did they agree to this? What later happened to Strunk?

- The deal that they had was to kill one another, if they had been seriously injured. They agreed to this because they didn't want them to suffer. Later, Strunk gets his leg blown off by a mortar and begs not to be killed. Dave later hears that Strunk did not survive the hit.

What was Jenson and Strunks relationship and how did it change?

- They hated each other at first and started off by fighting over a jackknife that Jack blamed Strunk for stealing. Their friendship soon changed by Strunk admitting he stole it and they made that deal with each other.

What is the irony of lemons death?

- He didn't die out of bravery but rather stupidity. The irony is that he fears going to the dentist but doesn't even blink or think twice of playing catch with a grenade.

In this meeting our group discussed the tone of the book. We discussed how at the very beginning of the book "The things they carried" was a literal term. But as we proceed through the book we are finding that it is more figurative. These soldiers all carry the burdens of their friends and family at home. They all must fight their own mental war