What is the theme of enemies in The Things They Carried?
In Enemies by Tim O’Brien we have the theme of conflict, stress, fear and revenge. Taken from his The Things They Carried collection the story is narrated in the first person by O’Brien himself and from the beginning of the story the reader realises that O’Brien may be exploring the theme of conflict.
Why does Dave Jensen break his own nose?
On patrol, Lee Strunk and Dave Jensen fight over Jensen’s missing jackknife, which he presumed Strunk stole. Jensen easily overpowers Strunk, hitting him repeatedly and breaking his nose. Because of this, Jensen starts to worry, growing anxious of what revenge Strunk might take on him.
What are some themes in The Things They Carried?
Themes
- Physical and Emotional Burdens. The “[t]hings” of the title that O’Brien’s characters carry are both literal and figurative.
- Fear of Shame as Motivation.
- The Subjection of Truth to Storytelling.
- The Power of Friendship.
- The Pointlessness of War.
- Death’s Power.
What does Martha symbolize in The Things They Carried?
The pictures of Martha also symbolize his unattainable dreams and this girl is part of that future. He carries around these pictures so he can dream about an alternate life for himself.
What does Dave Jensen symbolize?
Dave Jensen A minor character whose guilt over his injury of Lee Strunk causes him to break his own nose. Jensen’s relief after Strunk’s death is an illustration of the perspective soldiers are forced to assume.
What is the theme of Chapter 6 in The Things They Carried?
The Things They Carried Chapter 6, Friends Jensen and Strunk slowly learn to trust each other. They even make up a written pact that says that if one of them gets seriously injured, the other will kill him. Then Strunk steps on a mine, and his leg is blown away at the knee.
Why is Jensen relieved that Strunk has died?
He felt some guilt that he did not fulfill the pact, but it no longer mattered because Strunk died anyway; Jensen felt relieved when Strunk died because he wouldn’t have to face Strunk again. Jensen had ben afraid of facing Strunk if he didn’t carry out his vow. What does Tim O’Brien believe about true war stories?
What caused the fight between Lee Strunk and Dave Jensen?
One morning on patrol Dave Jensen and Lee Strunk get into a fistfight over a missing jackknife that Jensen thinks Strunk has stolen. Jensen breaks Strunk’s nose, hitting him repeatedly and without mercy. Afterward, Jensen is nervous that Strunk will try to get revenge and pays special attention to Strunk’s whereabouts.
What is the theme of a story examples?
Examples. Some common themes in literature are “love,” “war,” “revenge,” “betrayal,” “patriotism,” “grace,” “isolation,” “motherhood,” “forgiveness,” “wartime loss,” “treachery,” “rich versus poor,” “appearance versus reality,” and “help from other-worldly powers.”