Cruelty of War Primarily, Tim O'Brien's "The Things They Carried" depicts the experiences of a Lieutenant and his men during the Vietnam war. As O'Brien develops the story, he embodies the idea that life at war inflicts psychological trauma and emotional conflicts within American soldiers. O'Brien develops the predominant theme by portraying the characters' internal conflicts, describing the characters' violent actions, and by displaying symbols. To develop the theme, O'Brien portrays the characters' internal conflicts …showed first 75 words of 787 total…

…showed last 75 words of 787 total…Americans soldiers at war, they live with the overpowering terror of death. Finally, O'Brien's predominant theme of the story refers to the mental and emotional problems that American soldier suffer during war. Clearly, O'Brien depicts the characters' internal conflicts, describes the characters' actions, and by using symbols. In the end, all the items the men carry during a war represent the emotional and psychological transformations that soldiers' endure day by day, making their lives miserable.