Weight of life
The things they carried by Tim O'Brien is a story about the Vietnam War and a hardships the solders go true, to survive. To survive the terror of war the had to carry and rely not only on each other but on some necessities like food, and weapons along with other things. "The things they carried" is mainly focused around one soldier named Jimmy Cross as he journeyed into battle with his fellow soldiers with his motivation in my opinion, in the form of a letter.
They "carried P-38, can openers, pocketknives heat tabs, chewing gum, wrist watches, dog tags mosquito repellent chewing gum, lighter, matches and water" along with other things. They relied on these product to survive but some carried even more. The author writes about First lieutenant Jimmy Cross and the extra wight he carried. He carried some letter from a girl named Martha that he liked but the author made it clear that there's no romantic relationship between Lieutenant Cross and Martha when he says, "they were not love letter, but Lieutenant Cross was hoping" this statement suggests that lieutenant Cross wanted an romantic relationship eventually but wasn't able to accomplish and satisfy his emotional feelings but he still felt strongly enough to insure he carried her letters wherever his duties to the United States army lead him. Even though a few letters might not way much to carry to us based on our general knowledge of what a letter should weigh, the author gave us the sense that for the solders such extra weight can make a major difference easing the soldiers load.
I think that the letters Lieut. Cross carried with him represents much more than his feelings for Martha, it also serves him, by providing him with a peaceful source where he can take his mind off the distraction and violence that his presented with in war. Those letters I open my opinion represents a way for lieut. Cross to help preserve his sanity. He looks to theses letters to remember that not all of life...