Physical and Emotional Burdens During War

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Testament, his grandfather’s old hunting hatchet, and a pair of moccasins. He has the New Testament with him because he is really religious, a devout Baptist, and finds a lot of comfort in having this with him on his journey. Even when he does not read the Bible, he enjoys the thought of just having it with and near him. This Bible, which his dad gave to him before he left, reminds him of his family life back home and how he will always have someone thinking of him while he is away. His Grandfather’s old hunting jacket as well as the moccasins reminded him of how he grew up hunting and his Native American way of life. Along with these physical items, he also brings with him his grandmother’s distrust of the White man. This is an important part of him because it shows a difference between his upbringing and how he has to think and put his trust in his fellow soldiers. Similarly, Henry Dobbins also brings along items that are meaningful to him. One of the most significant items that he brings is his girlfriend’s pantyhose. He wraps his girlfriend’s pantyhose around his neck mostly for his comfort, in that it took his mind off of the situation he is in. He keeps his girlfriend’s pantyhose around his neck because it reminds him of her and their happy times together back at home. Henry feels it is a good luck charm and could help him return home to his girlfriend at the end of the war. Even when they break up, Henry decides to still keep the pantyhose, as he feels it is still a good luck charm. Consequently, he believes that as long as he keeps the pantyhose around his neck, he will be safe. Therefore, the pantyhose are the one item that contains the most weight and value. If Henry Dobbins was to lose these pantyhose, he would be crushed and his morale and outlook on the war would be completely different. Just like Jim Cross, both Kiowa and Henry Dobbins carry with them items that may not have a heavy physical weight, but carry a significant emotional weight.

During the Vietnam War, soldiers not only carried burdens on their back, but also in their mind. By showing the physical and emotional baggage that the soldiers carry with them in the war, O’Brien is able to create the central metaphor for the novel. Even though every man in the platoon has with them almost the same physical items such as standard gear and rations, they each have different burdens to carry. Each man in Lieutenant Cross’ troop may carry different items than the rest, but they all have one thing in common, these items that they bring with them help the men get through day by day whether it is through hope, love, longing or fear of making it through.

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