1. What do you think? “A true war story is never moral. It does not instruct, nor encourage virtue, nor suggest models of proper human behavior, nor restrain men from doing the things men have always done. If a story seems moral, do not believe it. If at the end of a war story you feel uplifted, or if you feel that some small bit of rectitude has been salvaged from the larger waste, then you may have been made the victim of a very old and terrible lie. There is no rectitude whatsoever. There is no virtue. As a first rule of thumb, therefore, you can tell a true war story by its absolute and uncompromising allegiance to obscenity and evil.” - Tim O’Brien, The Things They Carried (Ch. 7, pp.65-66)

2. The Things They Carried

3. This is a novel. This is fiction. Narrator's name is Tim O'Brien, but this Tim is a character! Book is dedicated to characters to give a sense of reality. But fiction has truth. How can this be? “Remember that the novel is an art form. The purpose of art is to give you a view of reality…to understand reality a little better than you did before. To do this, one artist may give you a realistic view…another artist may give you fantasy. Either one is just an impression of reality. Real life is real life. Everything else, a picture, a poem, a song, or even a newspaper article, or even a news video,-- is just an interpretation of reality. The picture an artist paints is just a picture the way the artist sees it. A poem uses only the words the artist wants to use. Even a news video shows you only what the reporter wants you to see. It is not the same as real life…” (Toward the Examined Life)

4. Author – Tim O’Brien Born in 1946, raised in Minnesota Graduated from Macalester College – Immediately drafted Served two years in Vietnam as infantry foot soldier His division was involved in the 1968 My Lai massacre His tour of duty: 1969-1970 After the war: Attended Harvard, but left early Journalist for Washington Post Explored fiction writing Teaches Creative Writing at Southwest Texas State University Many memoirs, short stories, novels – such as: If I Die in a Combat Zone, Box Me Up and Ship Me Home (1973) Going After Cacciato (1978) The Things They Carried (1990)

5. Consider author’s purpose… Social commentary Preservation of history/experiences Reaching the reader – to understand, experience, empathize Mental/emotional outlet Celebrating the writer’s craft Philosophizing – what is truth? He provides multiple “impressions” of reality What could be other goals of O’Brien’s writing?

6. Consider author’s style… Verisimilitude: The appearance or semblance of the truth. Tim O’Brien uses his own experiences and elements of reality to create this novel. Vignettes: Small literary sketches Very brief – quicker than an official “short story” Paradox: A statement that appears illogical or contradictory at first, but may actually point to an underlying truth. "Less is more" is an example of a paradox. Tim O’Brien’s novel is full of paradoxical sentiments, flowing from his own experience of the world. In war, lines are often blurred! What other elements have you noticed while reading?

7. Entering Vietnam…

8. Contextual Vocabulary: ARVN: Army of the Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam) Conscientious objector: A person who refuses to enter the military or bear arms on moral or religious grounds Draft: Required enrollment in the military Greenies: Green Berets, special forces of the army. The army equivalent of Navy SEALS. They are elite troops who possess special combat and survival training. Napalm: A gasoline-aluminum jelly mix used in weapons that causes prolonged burning RTO: Radio and Telephone Operator SOP: Standard Operating Procedure US KIA: United States Killed in Action USO: United Service Organization (Volunteer Entertainment and Morale) VC: VietCong (guerilla member of the Vietnamese Communist movement)

9. Historical context – Vietnam war America became involved in the conflicts of this area to hold the line against the spread of world Communism Used the “Domino Theory” to justify involvement As tensions grew in South Vietnam, our involvement increased Gulf of Tonkin – two US ships raided in 1964 – President’s war power broadened Tet Offensive – North increased attacks on major southern cities to pressure bargaining 1973 Paris Peace Agreements (US / North Vietnam) did not fully end war 1975 evacuation of Saigon as communist groups invaded New kind of war in the jungle (Viet Cong guerilla war, traps for soldiers) US tactics: Agent Orange, Napalm, Search and Destroy

10. Historical context – Public Response Government instituted a draft – bred anti-war sentiments Burning draft cards, Canada Protests (Ohio’s Kent State Tragedy) Chicago riot during the 1968 Democratic National Convention Increased doubt in government and media First “televised” war My Lai massacre (1968) – US troops killed 400 men, women, children War becomes a “business” – Eisenhower had warned against contractors/ “war machine” To that date, the longest, most unpopular war in American History U.S. spent over $200 billion dollars 58,000 Americans killed (61% under age 21) 304,000 wounded (75,000 severely disabled)

12. After the fact… Return was a shock for most troops Terrifying jungle warfare  home cooking felt unnatural Though awarded medals of honor, consider themselves recipients, not “winners” Drugs as a means of escape (both there and at home) No one wanted to hear about it – condescension and resentfulness from the American nation Took much effort to establish veterans associations and The Wall memorial

13. Looking Back at the Vietnam War with Author, Veteran Tim O’Brien (2010 Interview)