AGENDA:
Work on "Nature" essays.
The Things They Carried
AGENDA:
The Things They Carried
Audio--Selected Shorts
VOCABULARY WORDS: ANAPHORA, EPIGRAPH
"What they carried was partly a function of rank, partly of field specialty. As a machine gunner, Henry Dobbins carried the M-60, which weighed 23 pounds unloaded, but which was almost always loaded. He also carried between 10 and 15 pounds of ammunition draped in belts across his chest and shoulders."
"The things they carried were largely determined by necessity. Among them were P-38 can openers, pocket knives, heat tabs, wristwatches, dog tags, mosquito repellant, chewing gum, candy, cigarettes, salt tablets, packets of Kool-Aid, lighters, matches, sewing kits, Military Payment Certificates, and two or three canteens of water."
"They carried the land itself--Vietnam, the place, the soil-powdery-orange-red dust that covered their boots and fatigues and faces. They carried the sky. The whole atmosphere, they carried it, the humidity, the monsoons, the stink of fungus and decay, all of it, they carried gravity."
"They carried all the emotional baggage of men who might die. Grief, terror, love, longing--these were intangibles, but the intangibles had their own mass and specifc gravity, they had tangible weight. They carried shameful memories. They carried the common secret of cowardice barely restrained, the instinct to run or freeze or hide...They carried their reputations. They carried the soldier's greatest fear, which was the fear of blushing."
* Briefly discuss the differences between "literal" things that the soldiers carried and "figurative" things. What are some "literal" and "figurative" things that people carry with them every day? Post a comment.
1. The narrator of The Things They Carried has the same name as the book's author. How did this affect your response to the book?
2. In the title story, how do the things the men carry help define them as individuals? What are some of the more interesting items? Which "things" were unexpected? What would you carry if you went to war?
1. The narrator of The Things They Carried has the same name as the book's author. How did this affect your response to the book?
2. In the title story, how do the things the men carry help define them as individuals? What are some of the more interesting items? Which "things" were unexpected? What would you carry if you went to war?
1- This affects my response to the book because it makes it seem very realistic and it makes war seem more vivid.
ReplyDelete2- Some carried love letters, others carried bibles, this helps define them because it shows what is keeping them on their feet. For some, love is what is pushing them to work harder. For others, faith is what is guiding them towards victory. So really, they carry what they feel is truly important. As a result of war, many died, and those who lived carried the lost with them because they thought that they could've prevented it. So, they carry friendship, guns, bibles and dope because they felt that it was very important. I'd say that the most shocking thing was anything from cigarettes to dope. If I went to war I'd probably carry food, water and the weapon needed.
Justice and James
ReplyDelete1. The author choosing to have the same name for the character makes the story seem more personal.
2. The men would bring some of their personal life with them so they don't lose who they really are in the horrors of war. Interesting item: Weed, although it isn't the most interesting item, it is conventional when we are talking about stress caused by the war, but then he died so. What would I carry? "A book, cause there's no universities in Nam, and a copy of The Emoji movie so if I die I can be buried with it in Nam' (Justice). "Probably a gun and a DVD player for The Emoji Movie" (James).
Obviously, the physical things they carried were things such as hygeine products, condoms, and love letters. These things represent the figurative things they carried, the remnants of their past and lives back home.
ReplyDelete1. Well for starters, it makes it seem much more personal. It also helps put into perspective the things that occur in the book.
2. Their items define them because they show what type of person they are. Personally, I enjoy the love letters and hygeine products. They make the men seem interesting. I didn't really expect condoms since it's not as if a soldier's going to be having a whole bunch of sex in Vietnam. I would probably just carry the generic photographs.
1. Because it makes the war seem more real like the war actually happened. It makes it seem sort of realistic.
ReplyDelete2.Their items define them because most of them just carried personal items. They each brought something to help them get through the war like some brought love letters, personal hygiene products and stuff like that. I guess it just lets you sort of get an insight of each person and see what they are like in a way.
1. Having the narrator with the same name as the book's author makes it seem like he is telling us his story making it more real. It also allows us tot his that the writer was once a soldier and wanted to write his experiences.
ReplyDelete2. Many men carried things that they felt kept them safe or help them feel more relieved. Some of them carried Bibles, others pictures, love letters, pebbles or just a little memory that reminded them of someone that wanted them to return home alive. The things they carried help define them as we can see that they all have hope to live, so that when the war is over, they can go to the life they always wished to have (love life). The most interesting to me was the Bible because it showed that it was important for him growing up, and now he was living it. It was also interesting as in the Bible people are compared to soldiers and probably he used that as an example. The love letter were unexpected because I never thought of a soldier longing for love which could serve as a distraction. If I was in war, I would carry the Bible and a picture of my family.
Literal things they carried are arms, books, food and figurative things they carried are guilt, responsibility,
ReplyDeleteMaking the narrator's name the same as the author makes the story seems believable and gives us real emotions becuase it seems authentic.
The men carried personal things with them such as pictures of loved ones, scriptures, letters, and other personal items. They carried those things with them so they don't lose their personality and who they are. If I went to war I would probably bring a Qur'an with me so I don't lose my background/religion and what makes me who I am. War changes people.
The narrator having the same name as the character would make the story seem much more realistic. As the reader goes through the story, they'll connect with the author because of this. The things they carry help define what they cared about most. They carry things physically, but it seems like they also seem to carry things emotionally. Guilt,anger, fear. It all defines them in a way, making one realize the type of people they are. The guy with the pantyhose for example, he was attached to his girlfriend and he couldn't forget about her so he brings this with him. I think that this was an interesting item because out of all things, he chose this particular clothing item. The love letters as well were interesting, they'd never forget. Who'd bring condoms during a war? Them carrying these things will make them feel better about going to war, having small memories of the things that made them the happiest, things that mean a lot to them. I would most likely carry photographs I took of the best times in my life. If I were to be feeling down I'd simply look at those photographs. Or I'd bring a journal, so I could write down how i'm feeling while war goes on.
ReplyDelete1) Having the narrator's name the same as the authors name develops a deeper connection from the audience to the book, letting us then attach a name to a real person. Therefore, making it feel more realistic.
ReplyDelete2) The things they carry and what they choose paint a picture of a character traits and lets us as a audience better understand this character and their actions. They bring personal items to remind themselves of who they are and where they came from. Personally, I would be basic and bring a photograph of my family to remind myself what I have to go home to.
This is Emani.
Delete1. The narrator having the same name as the author makes it more realistic. it makes it seem like it's a memoir instead of a fictional story.
ReplyDelete2. The tangible things that the soldiers carried were pictures, their guns, bags, meaningful things like letters and other objects that meant a lot to them. Figurative things that they carried were their conscience, guilt and fear.
1. With having the same name as the main character, the author makes the story seem more personal and it even adds to the factor of storytelling he talks about. It adds more realism.
ReplyDelete2. The things the men carry vary from physical to emotional. They carry the guns and supplies needed for the war and also the guilt and other emotions from their past. The personal items they carry add to their emotions as they fear they maybe won't head home. What each man carries tells you something about their life.