The Things They Carried, written by Tim Obrien, is a collection of interconnected short stories that follow a group of soldiers during the Vietnam War. The soldiers use various coping mechanisms to survive both the physical and mental challenges of war.
One common coping mechanism is humor. The soldiers often joke around with each other to lighten the mood and take their minds off of the horrors they witness on a daily basis. Another coping mechanism is using drugs and alcohol. Some soldiers turn to drugs and alcohol to numb the pain or help them forget the things they have seen.
Others find comfort in religion or superstition. Some believe that if they carry certain items with them, it will bring them luck or keep them safe from harm. Some of the things they carry include: photos of loved ones, good luck charms, and trinkets from home.
The soldiers also form close bonds with each other. These relationships help them to cope with the stress of war and provide a support system. The soldiers rely on each other for emotional and physical support.
The Vietnam War was a difficult and traumatic experience for all involved. The soldiers used different coping mechanisms to help them get through the tough times. humor, drugs and alcohol, religion, and forming close bonds with others were all ways that they coped with the challenges of war.
During the Vietnam War, soldiers were not exposed to our culture’s typical coping skills, as portrayed in Tim O’Brien’s The Things They Carried. These men had to find and develop new solutions for the difficulties of war using only their own resources while fighting in the Vietnamese jungle. It was impossible for any soldier to carry numerous objects or a burden with them, but if something was necessary, a solution was found to transport it, and coping methods were required to survive the conflict.
The eleven men in the Alpha Company, including Tim O’Brien, had to learn how to live without access to familiar comforts and support systems. The following are some of the coping mechanisms that soldiers used in order to survive the Vietnam war:
– Camouflage: The ability to blend in with one’s surroundings is crucial for a soldier in order to avoid being seen by the enemy. The soldiers would often dig foxholes and trenches to hide in, or they would use natural camouflage like mud and leaves to conceal themselves.
– Silence: In order to avoid detection, it was important for soldiers to remain quiet at all times. They would often take turns keeping watch and listening for any sign of the enemy, and they would learn to communicate using hand signals and other nonverbal methods.
– Stealth: The ability to move around undetected was another key component of survival for soldiers in the Vietnam war. They would often use stealth tactics to sneak up on the enemy, or they would hide in tall grass and wait for the opportune moment to strike.
– Discipline: The soldiers had to maintain strict discipline in order to survive the war. This included following orders, staying alert, and avoiding unnecessary risks.
– Strength: The soldiers had to be physically strong in order to carry their gear and withstand the harsh conditions of the jungle. They would often hike long distances with heavy packs, and they would have to fight off the enemy when necessary
There are all kinds of treatments on the market to assist individuals overcome stress. Many Americans turn to psychiatrists, psychotherapists, massages, and anti-depressants in order to combat life’s demands. People are willing to pay hundreds of dollars for medicine or therapy that promises to make their lives better.
They’ll waste hours of their time at a massage therapist or a psychiatrist in an attempt to find relief from their miserable existence. Soldiers, on the other hand, were not subjected to any of these conventional “coping methods” during the Vietnam Conflict. Instead, these soldiers were forced to develop and invent new methods for dealing with the stresses of conflict while entrenched in Vietnam’s jungle using only their personal abilities.
The coping mechanisms they used have become known as The Things They Carried. One of the most iconic examples of a coping mechanism from The Things They Carried is Lieutenant Jimmy Cross’s love for Martha. Cross constantly thinks about Martha and carries her picture with him throughout the war. He does this not only to remember her, but also to give himself something to focus on that is not the war. This allows him to distance himself from the horrors he sees every day and helps him to cope with the stress of battle.
Another example is the way that Lieutenant Henry Dobbins cares for his “good luck charm”. Dobbins has a piece of string with a lock of hair from his girlfriend back home attached to it. He carries this string with him at all times and even sleeps with it wrapped around his fingers. The string serves as a reminder of home and helps him to feel connected to something other than the war.
While these examples show how love and connection can be used as coping mechanisms, not all of The Things They Carried are so positive. In fact, many of the things that the soldiers carry are things that they would never have thought to bring with them if they had not been forced into the situation. For example, Kiowa carries a set of prayer beads given to him by his father.
At first, he is resentful of having to carry them and does not understand their significance. However, as the war goes on, Kiowa begins to see the beads as a way to connect with his father and with his own spirituality. The beads help him to find peace in the midst of chaos.
Another example is the way that Rat Kiley copes with the death of his friend Curt Lemon. Lemon is killed by a landmine, and Kiley is so distraught that he begins to carry around a large collection of pornography. He uses the pornography as a way to numb himself to the pain of losing his friend. It allows him to disconnect from his emotions and focus on something else.
While these examples show how The Things They Carried can be both positive and negative coping mechanisms, they all have one thing in common: they allow the soldiers to survive.
