Symbolism in The thing they carried

In “The Thing They Carried” by Tim O’Brien, the use of symbolism is really used in the story to express the materials that solider really carry other than material like object. The title of the story “The Thing They Carried” is great symbolism in sense of literal and figurative. At the beginning of the story, Tim O’ Brien discusses about material objects they carried in the war which include, p-38 can opener, pocket knives, heat tabs, sewing kits, canteens of water, etc. “Together, these items weighed between fifteen and twenty ponds, depending upon a man’s habits or rate of metabolism(O’Brien).” Other things that the solider carried that reader don’t really realize is figurative thing. Some of the figurative things they carried are fear, emotional burdens, and guilt. For example, the solider didn’t realize the reality of the war until Ted Lavender was shot in the back of the head by a sniper. The reality and fear of the war was realized after death of Lavender. Even, Jimmy cross carries guilt for Lavender’s death. He felt that it was his fault that lavender dies because he was fantasying about Martha. He felt that “he had loved Martha more than his men and as a consequence Lavender was now dead, and this was something he would have to carry like a stone in his stomach for the rest of the war (O’Brien)”. Even though his men didn’t think that it was his fault, this guilt will always stay with him. He even burns that picture of Martha to show how devastating he felt. The solider carried some much of emotional burden that it was heaver than material object. Even after the war many of the solider can get forget about the war. For example, Henry Dobbins a machine gunner who was gentle and kind became a monk after the war was over. Even after the war, the psychological burdens of the men carry during the war continued to define them. O’Brien does a fantastic job to show what solider really carries through out the war.