the things they carried

The Things They Carried is written from the perspective of the author, Tim O'Brien. The book is a compilation of his stories and experiences relating to the Vietnam War. It encompasses the events and lives of himself, the other members of his company, and the war as a whole. Tim O'Brien, of no important rank, is a solider in the Alpha Company that heads out most operations of Nam. They are the first troop to …

…but to me. I always thought of soldiers as those who sacrificed themselves for the good of others. Now I see it more like an internal battle between what you know and what you feel. Doing something not so much for "the good of the country", but to experience it. "...it was just the endless march, village to village, without purpose, nothing won or lost. They marched for the sake of the march." (O'Brien, pg. 15)