Freddy Urgiles
4/30/10
Dr. Luke Vasileiou
ENG 102
The Things They Carried
People are raised a certain way, but throughout time, they change. Certain events in their life, positive or negative, lead them to some type of transformation. This was the case for First Lieutenant Jimmy Cross, who seemed confused most of the time throughout the story “The Things They Carried”. He had illusions in his head which he knew would never become true. He was always thinking about unnecessary things that set his mind off of war. He faced reality and started acting the way he was supposed to, with bravery and determination.
“The Things They Carried” by Tim O’Brien starts off with First Lieutenant Jimmy Cross exchanging letters with a girl named Martha whom he makes believe is in love with him. The letters were mostly chatty, elusive to the matter of love (O’Brien, 392). In his head, he created images of Martha and himself taking camping trips into the White Mountains in New Hampshire. The letters were signed ‘Love, Martha’, but Cross understood it was only a way of signing and not a true feeling. He always wondered if Martha was a virgin and kept photographs of her in his wallet. Martha had sent him a good - luck charm, a simple pebble that weighed an ounce at most. She had found it on the Jersey shoreline, precisely where the land touched water at high tide, where things came together but also separated (O’Brien, 395). Jimmy Cross loved Martha so much. He was filled with jealousy just to think Martha was with another man. He found her poems to be romantic and always imagined the both of them in a beautiful paradise. He wandered most of the time and had difficulty keeping his attention on the war. He would yell at his soldiers to stay aware, but he himself went away into daydreams. Everywhere he went, he found himself thinking about Martha. He was just a kid at war, in love (O’Brien,397).
An unfortunate event made Jimmy Cross realize what was going on. One of his men, Ted Lavender, was shot in the head. He died on the spot, without anyone being able to do anything. A chopper came and took Lavender away. Cross led his men into the village of Than Khe, where they burned everything and shot anything they saw. Kiowa was explaining how Lavender died, which made Cross tremble. He tried not to cry. He was ashamed and hated himself. He loved Martha more than he loved his men and had failed them. As a consequence, Ted Lavender died, and this was something Cross felt guilty for.
This event led Jimmy Cross to change his way of acting during war. He seemed more focused and determined. Although he always had Martha on his mind, he tried to do his job as hard as he can. He kept digging holes, where he sat and just sat watching the night. His men noticed how much he cared about the situation and how hurt he was. Lavender’s death really affected him to the point where he burned Martha’s letters and photographs. He realized it was only a gesture. Stupid he thought. Sentimental, too. (O’Brien, 402). Even without her pictures, Cross created images in his head about her. He knew she didn’t love him and her virginity wasn’t an issue anymore. He hated her but loved her the same way.
Jimmy Cross knew he was a soldier after all. He took out his maps and started planning the day’s march. He shook his head hard, as if he wanted all of these memories to get out of his head. He finally faced reality, he loved Martha, but hated her as well. He didn’t want to fantasize anymore. He shut down his daydreams and recognized the war zone wasn’t a place for poems or midterm exams, but a place where his men died because of carelessness and gross stupidity. He felt sad about the whole Martha situation, but was now determined to perform his duties firmly and without negligence as First Lieutenant. He knew that wouldn’t bring Lavender back, but he would behave as the officer he is. He made sure everything was done right and in place. He spoke plainly to his men, accepting the blame for Lavender’s death. He was a man about it. He was direct with his men, telling them they had to get themselves together, keep their in the game, and maintain it neatly and in good working order. He would not show laxity. He would show strength, distancing himself from all the problems. He reminded himself his obligation was not to love, but to lead.
We learned that Jimmy Cross was always thinking about a girl during wartime. He would fantasize about her, which made him unaware of what was going on in war. He learned to let go and faced reality, she didn’t feel anything towards him. After Ted Lavender’s death, he was pushed to become a better person, act as the officer he was. These events made him change by him being more focused, more aware of what was going on. He was the leader of the group and had to show bravery and determination.
4/30/10
Dr. Luke Vasileiou
ENG 102
The Things They Carried
People are raised a certain way, but throughout time, they change. Certain events in their life, positive or negative, lead them to some type of transformation. This was the case for First Lieutenant Jimmy Cross, who seemed confused most of the time throughout the story “The Things They Carried”. He had illusions in his head which he knew would never become true. He was always thinking about unnecessary things that set his mind off of war. He faced reality and started acting the way he was supposed to, with bravery and determination.
“The Things They Carried” by Tim O’Brien starts off with First Lieutenant Jimmy Cross exchanging letters with a girl named Martha whom he makes believe is in love with him. The letters were mostly chatty, elusive to the matter of love (O’Brien, 392). In his head, he created images of Martha and himself taking camping trips into the White Mountains in New Hampshire. The letters were signed ‘Love, Martha’, but Cross understood it was only a way of signing and not a true feeling. He always wondered if Martha was a virgin and kept photographs of her in his wallet. Martha had sent him a good - luck charm, a simple pebble that weighed an ounce at most. She had found it on the Jersey shoreline, precisely where the land touched water at high tide, where things came together but also separated (O’Brien, 395). Jimmy Cross loved Martha so much. He was filled with jealousy just to think Martha was with another man. He found her poems to be romantic and always imagined the both of them in a beautiful paradise. He wandered most of the time and had difficulty keeping his attention on the war. He would yell at his soldiers to stay aware, but he himself went away into daydreams. Everywhere he went, he found himself thinking about Martha. He was just a kid at war, in love (O’Brien,397).
An unfortunate event made Jimmy Cross realize what was going on. One of his men, Ted Lavender, was shot in the head. He died on the spot, without anyone being able to do anything. A chopper came and took Lavender away. Cross led his men into the village of Than Khe, where they burned everything and shot anything they saw. Kiowa was explaining how Lavender died, which made Cross tremble. He tried not to cry. He was ashamed and hated himself. He loved Martha more than he loved his men and had failed them. As a consequence, Ted Lavender died, and this was something Cross felt guilty for.
This event led Jimmy Cross to change his way of acting during war. He seemed more focused and determined. Although he always had Martha on his mind, he tried to do his job as hard as he can. He kept digging holes, where he sat and just sat watching the night. His men noticed how much he cared about the situation and how hurt he was. Lavender’s death really affected him to the point where he burned Martha’s letters and photographs. He realized it was only a gesture. Stupid he thought. Sentimental, too. (O’Brien, 402). Even without her pictures, Cross created images in his head about her. He knew she didn’t love him and her virginity wasn’t an issue anymore. He hated her but loved her the same way.
Jimmy Cross knew he was a soldier after all. He took out his maps and started planning the day’s march. He shook his head hard, as if he wanted all of these memories to get out of his head. He finally faced reality, he loved Martha, but hated her as well. He didn’t want to fantasize anymore. He shut down his daydreams and recognized the war zone wasn’t a place for poems or midterm exams, but a place where his men died because of carelessness and gross stupidity. He felt sad about the whole Martha situation, but was now determined to perform his duties firmly and without negligence as First Lieutenant. He knew that wouldn’t bring Lavender back, but he would behave as the officer he is. He made sure everything was done right and in place. He spoke plainly to his men, accepting the blame for Lavender’s death. He was a man about it. He was direct with his men, telling them they had to get themselves together, keep their in the game, and maintain it neatly and in good working order. He would not show laxity. He would show strength, distancing himself from all the problems. He reminded himself his obligation was not to love, but to lead.
We learned that Jimmy Cross was always thinking about a girl during wartime. He would fantasize about her, which made him unaware of what was going on in war. He learned to let go and faced reality, she didn’t feel anything towards him. After Ted Lavender’s death, he was pushed to become a better person, act as the officer he was. These events made him change by him being more focused, more aware of what was going on. He was the leader of the group and had to show bravery and determination.
You have the same topic with my essay so that I could compare what the differences between your essay and mine. You have a strong thesis “He faced reality and started acting the way he was supposed to, with bravery and determination.” Also, you have use a lot of resource which could support you thesis.
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