The Things They Carried

✍ Scribed by Jill Colella

• Publisher: Cliffs Notes
• Year: 2000
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 125
• Series: Cliffs Notes
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

The original CliffsNotes study guides offer expert commentary on major themes, plots, characters, literary devices, and historical background. The latest generation of titles in this series also feature glossaries and visual elements that complement the classic, familiar format.

In CliffsNotes on The Things They Carried, you discover Tim O'Brien's powerful and innovative novel about the experiences of foot soldiers during and after the Vietnam War. Drawing largely on his own experiences during the war, the author creates a fictional protagonist who shares the author's own name, and allows this fictional ''Tim O'Brien'' to relate disturbing war stories as he creates an indictment against the wastefulness of war.

Chapter summaries and commentaries take you through Tim O'Brien's very personal journey. Critical essays give you insight into the novel's historical context, the novel's narrative structure, and the theme of loss of innocence. Other features that help you study include

• Character analyses of the main characters
• A character map that graphically illustrates the relationships among the characters
• A section on the life and background of Tim O'Brien
• A review section that tests your knowledge
• A Resource Center full of books, articles, films, and Internet sites

Classic literature or modern modern-day treasure — you'll understand it all with expert information and insight from CliffsNotes study guides.

✦ Table of Contents

CliffsNotes™ O'Brien's The Things They Carried......Page 2
Table of Contents......Page 4
How to Use This Book......Page 6
Life and Background of the Author......Page 7
Personal Background......Page 8
Career Highlights......Page 10
Introduction to the Novel......Page 14
Introduction......Page 15
A Brief Synopsis......Page 18
List of Characters......Page 20
Character Map......Page 25
Critical Commentaries......Page 26
Summary......Page 27
Commentary......Page 28
Glossary......Page 29
Commentary......Page 32
Glossary......Page 33
Commentary......Page 34
Glossary......Page 36
Summary......Page 37
Commentary......Page 38
Glossary......Page 40
Commentary......Page 43
Glossary......Page 45
Summary......Page 47
Commentary......Page 48
Glossary......Page 49
Commentary......Page 51
Glossary......Page 53
Summary......Page 54
Commentary......Page 55
Glossary......Page 57
Commentary......Page 58
Glossary......Page 59
Commentary......Page 60
Glossary......Page 61
Commentary......Page 62
Glossary......Page 64
Commentary......Page 66
Commentary......Page 68
Glossary......Page 71
Commentary......Page 72
Glossary......Page 74
Commentary......Page 75
Glossary......Page 77
Commentary......Page 78
Commentary......Page 80
Glossary......Page 81
Summary......Page 82
Commentary......Page 83
Glossary......Page 85
Commentary......Page 87
Glossary......Page 88
Summary......Page 89
Commentary......Page 90
Glossary......Page 91
Character Analyses......Page 92
“Tim O’Brien”......Page 93
Lt. Jimmy Cross......Page 94
Norman Bowker......Page 95
Mary Anne Bell......Page 96
Rat Kiley......Page 97
Linda......Page 98
Henry Dobbins......Page 99
Critical Essays......Page 100
The Things They Carried in a Historical Context......Page 101
Narrative Structure in The Things They Carried......Page 102
Style and Storytelling in The Things They Carried......Page 103
The Things They Carried and Loss of Innocence......Page 104
The Things They Carried and Questions of Genre......Page 106
CliffsNotes Review......Page 108
CliffsNotes Resource Center......Page 113
Appendix: Map of Vietnam......Page 117
Index......Page 118