A Different View

Reading this book has really changed my perception of the war and war life. It is very different from what little I have learned about it. Its amazing how much you can learn about the war from one little book. By reading the book, i can just imagine what it was like in the war. I can picture myself being there.


I thought the war was straight military style. Like everyone has to be in order and in line. But in the book, there's different groups where there's only like ten people in it. They have their own little campsite with food and other belongings. Things I would never think of, they would be carrying.



In the book, Mary Anne comes to Vietnam to visit her boyfriend Mark Fossie. She stayed out there for a while and even joined the Greenies. Mary Anne is a young woman, that learned the tricks and trades of the war in Vietnam. With her being there really changes my perception alot. I can see that being there is really overwhelming and can also change a person's thoughts and way of life.



Everyone knows that there's a random chance that someone might end up getting killed sometime during the war. Some soldiers lose good friends everyday. It's hard because you've got to know them and they end up having your back in the war, but if they die, they have to move on, stand strong and keep fighting. In the chapter "In The Field" one of Jimmy Cross' good friend Kiowa dies. He feels bad`for Kiowa and his family, but he doesn't mourn at all. He is more concerned about a picture rather than his friend. My view of that situation is different. I would think that Jimmy would be terribly upset and would just forget about the picture.




I never knew that war would be like that. It changes so many people's lives. "The Things They Carried" has really changed my view on most of the things I've heard about the war. I really never heard much about the Vietnam war. I know that alot of young boys, right out of high school were drafted to serve in this war. I know alot of families were devastated when they found out the news. This is a great war story and i hope to learn more.