“The Things They Carried

The Importance of the Title in Tim O’Brien’s “The Things They Carried” In Tim O’Brien’s short story “The Things They Carried,” the items carried, both physical and emotional, are what helped to define and sustain each character’s life at that given moment. The characters in the story have items they carried which helped them to deal with stress and serve as an anchor, and during quiet times a momentary escape, …

…the importance of the title “The Things They Carried” illustrates the story’s theme. Individuals carry emotional and sentimental items to help him make it through each day. Whether or not Lieutenant Cross was able to unburden his conscience of the memories is left up to the reader. In the end, Lieutenant Cross understood: “It is very sad he thought. The things men carried inside. The things men did or felt they had to do” (398).