The Things They Carried- Tim O’Brien
Syllabus: Mrs. Baker
“War stories aren't always about war, per se. They aren't about bombs and bullets and military maneuvers. They aren't about tactics, they aren't about foxholes and canteens. A war story, like any good story, is finally about the human heart.”--Tim O'Brien
O’Brien received quite a bit of attention for this bit of self-revelation and in a 1998 interview with New York Times writer Bruce Weber, he explains: “I’m glad I wrote it, but I wish I hadn’t published it...It’s a perceptive piece, about the inner penetration of love and war, and eerie uncanny similarities between the two. But it hurt people I love, and probably me too, a little. Though it saved my life, in one way.”
[on comparing the Vietnam War to the Iraq War]"The Iraq thing has the feel of a potential quagmire where we just get deeper and deeper and deeper involved, and when that happens it’s harder and harder and harder to get out. There’s also the similarity with the difficulty in finding the enemy. In Vietnam, we couldn’t find the V.C., they were blended in with the population, and we’re having the same problem in Iraq . . ." --Tim O'Brien
Unit Essential Questions:
Directions: Please ponder these questions before, during and after reading. You will choose one to write about after finishing the novel.
*How do the lies of fiction reveal the truths of humanity? How can the falsification of a story help increase its truth?Why do we tell stories?
* How does O’Brien define a “true war story”? How do you as a reader distinguish between fact and fiction in this text?
*What is the novel’s message about the effects of war on the individual/ on society? How can the lessons of Vietnam inform our world today?
*How do the stylistic devices used by O’Brien help to convey the novel’s themes? What images, themes, or symbols do you see repeated in the text? What is the significance of these repeated images, themes or symbols? Why does O’Brien use repetition?
*How do stories about Vietnam complicate or contradict notions about America and the American Dream?
End of Unit SAT Essay Topic: *Is war ever justified?
_____Pre-reading: What are the tangible/ intangible things you carry?
_____ Read Chapter One “The Things They Carried.” Complete 3-Column Chart (Soldier & Rank/ What He Carried/ Important Characteristics)
_____“The Things They Carried” Story read aloud on Chicago Public Radio
_____In the list of all the things the soldiers carried, what item was most surprising? Which item did you find most evocative of the war? Which items stay with you?
_____ Time Photo Essay, “Talismans”
_____ Post on Blog: What information about the author, Tim O’Brien, did you find interesting/ relevant to our study? (At least 5 facts).
_____ Unit Vocabulary/ Military Jargon Quiz
_____KWL Vietnam
_____ Film & Text Selections “Dear America: Letters Home from Vietnam”
_____Dialectical Notes (See final page)
_____ Read aloud:
“The Man I Killed”
“Notes”
“Speaking of Courage”
_____ Literary Terms: Meta-fiction, Realism, foreshadowing, symbolism, repetition, imagery, metaphor, irony, framed-story, juxtaposition, reliable/ unreliable narrator
_____ “How to Tell a True War Story” Story read aloud on Chicago Public Radio
On this audio, you need to fast forward you real audio player to the 20 minute mark.
_____“Spin”- Read by Tim O’Brien (Click on Part Two)
_____Working with a partner, Find the lyrics to a pop song from the Vietnam era that refers to the war. Distribute the lyrics to the class and, if you have access to a recording, play the song as well. Then discuss the song: What is its message? Does it simply express an opinion about the war, or does it also call on listeners to take some action? What sorts of reactions might different people (such as a young person eligible to be drafted, a soldier serving in Vietnam, or the parent of such a soldier) have to the song?
_____Working with a partner, select a film about the Vietnam War -- either the war itself or its effects on those who fought in it -- and present your choice to your teacher for approval. Once your selection has been approved, watch the film with your partner. As you view the film, consider how it portrays the war and the soldiers who fought in it. Does it appear to support U.S. involvement in the war, or not? Are American soldiers presented as heroes, as victims, or in some other way? Also note any particular scenes that dramatically symbolize the film's message. Each group should present its findings briefly to the class.
_____ Write in O’Brien’s Style. Choose your own topic/theme or list and describe the contents of your locker imitating the style of TTTC's opening story/chapter.
_____ Compose a “Found Poem” accompanied by a collage
_____Choose ONE of the essential questions above and write a 2-page typed response to that question. You must refer to at least three separate stories in your response. Your response should include at least three relevant quotations or pieces of evidence—one piece of evidence from each of the stories you select. Make sure to include your explanation and analysis of these quotations in your response. Please double-space your work and use 12-point Times New Roman font.
_____ SAT Essay: Is War Ever Justified?
_____”Inside Out” 7 questions (End of novel discussion)
Links for further study:
Personal Reflections:
Weapons used in Vietnam:
Timeline:
Overview of the Literature of Vietnam:
Tim O'Brien - 2009 National Book Festival: O’Brien reads a chapter from his upcoming book on being an older parent.
“The Impossible Victory: Vietnam” Howard Zinn: