The Theme of Mortality and Death In The Things They Carried the evidence and warning of death rotate around all soldiers. Tim O’Brien even before reaching Vietnam he predicts and ponders the inevitability of his death after he is drafted in “On The Rainy River” here he thinks of evading the draft and escape to Canada. Tim O’Brien is the narrator of the collection and the author. The collection is characterized by sequenced death of O’Brien Friends. For instance, Ted Lavender, Kiowa, and Curt Lemon. The thoughts of the soldiers and the story itself rotate and includes the death of these soldiers. Additionally, tempting to have full knowledge of the method and occurs and showing the manner death impacts the soldier’s deeds and thoughts of the soldiers who still remain both during the wartime and after.
The Things They Carried reflects that died during the Vietnam warfare isn’t predictable. Variation between survivors and the ones who are murdered is less than just luck. Death in the collection can be reported anytime from any side and it’s impossible to take a precaution. For instance, Ted Lavender’s situation always held an extra magazine of ammo in his gun) and didn’t amount faith (Kiowa is able to withhold in his backpack the New Testament) would enable a man to be alive. In Lavender’s case, death knocked as a random bullet, for Lemon it was a hidden trap, and for Kiowa untold mortar fire. The soldiers are at all not in a position to predict the time death might come or adopt a protection against death.
Additionally, these soldiers are unable to forecast the dying moment at every occasion. This continues to an extent whereby some of the soldiers such as Rat Kiley become mad. O’Brien almost die the second time after being shot twice. There exists a lot of brushes with death amongst the soldiers. The worth of the life of remaining alive after a confrontation results to be majestically escalated. Curt Lemon is characterized by his character of being a childish and careless participant of the Alpha Company. He is murdered when he moves forward on a mortar round which is contrived (O’Brien, 34). Though is evident that O’Brien particularly hates Lemon. The death of Lemon is something that O’Brien doesn’t end to contemplate with unhappiness and regret.
There is an illustration of American young soldiers’ immaturity in Vietnam during Lemon’s death avoidance and his life illogical fears. Ted Lavender is depicted as a young soldier who is scared in the Alpha Company. The first one to die in the work is Lavender (O’Brien, 25). In the narrative, only a brief resemblance of his is made. It’s outside the Thank Khe to have him exploding tranquilizers for himself to be calm. Like in the Lemon’s case, his death is inevitable. The expandability of human life is revealed in an insensible warfare. Bob “Rat” Kiley is witnessed to conduct himself as the company’s doctor. Kiley had served in the Chu Lai mountains previously, Sweetheart of the Song Tra Bong setting. O’Brien shows and remains to have much respect for Kiley’s platoon’s medic prowess notably whenever he is exposed to the harassment of Boby Jorgenson, another medic after being shot the second time.
Kiley, at last, he objects to his role and the war stresses through the king and levelheaded. He deliberately blows off his toe in order to be evicted forcefully from his post. The closest friend to O’Brien who is Kiowa act as the quiet model between the war abominations and as the logical morality. The mistaken camping of the company in a sewage area is the critical part of the three stories whereby Kiowa dies. His life remains to be more noticeable than his life. The reason was that ” he is the major symbol of the war brutality which is unforgiving and erratic war (O’Brien, 35). Norman Bowker was able to have a manifestation of the danger that the warfare would amount to after the war was over. Bowker shows up to be quiet and unassuming during the war duration.
He is greatly affected by Kiowa’s death. His letter reflects the need of having stories shared during the healing process. The letter in ‘Notes’ was written to O’Brien. Azar proves to be unconcerned during the war. He is also a member of the Alpha Company. He exposes Vietnamese civilians to brutality. This is accompanied by driving fun from the enemies’ dead bodies and his fellow comrades’ death. He always appears to be mean-spirited and dominated with brutality. He is forced to have Kiowa’s body unearthed from the sludge. This takes place in the sewage field and finally acts as an indicator for his humanity. His repentance clearly demonstrates that soldiers are capable of repenting even after utilizing brutality as a mechanism for defense breaking point.