2-3 The Things They Carried

1) Lieutenant Cook very distracted by an unrealistic love.
2) Knowingly seeking after love that he knows won’t be returned.
3) For Cook it’s as if the pain of realizing over and over that his fantasies will never happen was not as painful as the reality of the destruction, war, and loneliness he was surrounded by it reality.
4) Held on to a false idea.
5) Many hold on to things we know will never happen or that are very unlikely as a way to keep us from reality.
6) Cook seems to use the notes and thoughts of Martha as distraction from the gloom and depression of the war surrounding him.
7) Cook allowed his obsession interfere with his duties and soon found himself feeling very guilty.
8) Took the death of one of group members to awaken Cook to the fact that he was neglecting his job.
9) The writer put great emphasis on the extra things that everyone carried. Saying that they all had objects that allowed them to escape the reality of their situation. It’s as though the war was too much for all of them. They all wanted to escape to a different place.
10) The writer went in great detail on the weight of everything they carried. Even their equipment. This further emphasized how big and burdensome the load they were carrying was. He mentions not only physical things they carry put memories and worries as well.
11) It seems as though none of the men are fully present. They all seem to be disconnected mentally. Physically they are there daily performing the same routine. But mentally they all try to escape. If they don’t they would just be overcome by fear.
12) There seemed to be so much oppression and burden carried by these men. They were scared to death but they were even more scared to admit their fear. When the issue of death came up they simply laughed it off. Made jokes to avoid the seriousness and the realization of their fear.
13) I think all of us are like this in many ways. We are so weighed down by all our memories and fears. To afraid to let them go or express them. Like the sad lifeless soldiers I believe we too become lifeless and disconnected to a certain extent when we don’t allow ourselves to express and show our fears. Everyone has fears and to cover them up just makes the burden so much deeper for the person.