Physicians diagnosed sixteen percent of the American soldiers who survived the Iraq war with Post Traumatic stress disorder. Such statistics also echo arguments by Bergman et al. (2019), which places PTSD among solders at 21% worldwide. Going by the short story,the things they carried by Tim O’Brien, these statistics are nothing but the truth. In a third party narration, the narrator, who is also one of the soldiers that fought the Vietnam war, gives a detailed account of the traumatic experiences of soldiers in the Vietnam war. The story that uses the real name of the soldiers who fought alongside the narrator, the story gives in-depth details of different things which the soldiers shouldered as they were going for the war. From the story, it is evident that it is not only the physical items the soldiers carried to the war but also emotional fears and anxiety that would later define their fate in the war. In the things they carried, Tim O'Brien explores the themes of escape, conflict, guilt, acceptance, and responsibility to showcase the experiences the soldiers face that leads to stress in the war.
The theme of escape from reality is evident in the story through the items some of the soldiers carried alongside them to the war. Through the letters and pictures that Lieutenant Cross has received from Martha, Tim explores the theme of escape by showcasing how Lieutenant was escaping from the reality of the war as he imagines himself to be with Martha. Yet, he was in Vietnam. Tim also mentions Kiowa’s Cross and the bible, which are also significant in this case as they represent Kiowa's attempt to escape emotional from the war. Rat Kiley’s comics and the tranquilizers and dope that Ted Lavender carries with him are also symbols of escape from reality, which is the war. Such items carried to reduce the anxiety and stress these soldiers experience during the war.
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Tim also explores the theme of acceptance as a way to showcase the stressful and challenging experiences these soldiers encounter that they have to accept and live within their lives both during and after the war. For instance, Strunk has to accept the task of searching for the tunnel despite understanding the dangers that my come alongside the task. On the same note, Cross accepts that he, through lack of concentration, may have been responsible for Ted Lavender’s death. Such painful acceptance comes to haunt these soldiers, but they lack options rather than to live with the experiences.
The theme of internal conflict is thus evident from the entire story, and through it, the audience or the reader can explore the truth about each of the soldiers, mostly their fears and anxiety as they approach the war, and the difficult experiences they underwent during the fight. Just after Lavender's death and as Cross is digging his foxhole, O'Brien tells the reader that Cross not only felt shame but also 'both love and hate.' It is just an example, yet there are many instances where different characters explore different issues that show the conflict they have within themselves and later define their decision in the story.
From the stressful and challenging condition these soldiers' experiences in the things they carried, it could be true that PTSD among solders is high. Internal conflicts, worries, an attempt to escape from reality and anxiety throughout the story showcase the nasty experiences of the war which the solders must face.
References
Bergman, H. E., Chan, P. K., Cooper, A. A., Shirley, E., Goto, T., Fine, T., ... &Liberzon, I. (2019). Examining the Relationship Between PTSD Symptomatology and Cigarette Smoking Among Ohio Army National Guard Soldiers. Military Behavioral Health , 1-11.
Walker, D., &Kaysen, D. (2018). Improving Voluntary Engagement for PTSD Treatment among Soldiers . University of Washington, Seattle United States.
