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The Things They Carried

The Things They Carried

EssaysLiterary Fiction
Pages
256
Published
1993
Language
English

Synopsis

This collection of linked stories follows a platoon of American soldiers during the Vietnam War. Tim O'Brien draws on his own experiences to explore the physical and emotional burdens carried by these men. It's a powerful look at the realities of war and its lasting impact.

Prose complexity
7/10

Vibe

EmotionalReflectiveDarkThought-Provoking
Multiple POVs

Genres

Essays Literary Fiction Military History Short Stories

About the author

T
Tim O'Brien

William Timothy O'Brien (born October 1, 1946) is an American novelist. He is best known for his book The Things They Carried (1990), a collection of linked semi-autobiographical stories inspired by O'Brien's experiences in the Vietnam War. In 2010, the New York Times described O'Brien's book as a Vietnam classic. In addition, he is known for his war novel, Going After Cacciato (1978), also about wartime Vietnam, and later novels about postwar lives of veterans. O'Brien has held the endowed...

Characters

Tim O'BrienProtagonist
All characters in The Things They Carried

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