During The Things They Carried O'Brien illustrates that the Vietnam as traumatic and destructive as it was will never end for those who have survived it. Even though the Vietnam War ended over 25 years ago he shows that the trauma associated with the war has had mental and physical effects on some of the soldiers after the war had finished. As far as O'Brien is concerned he believes that these experiences of war continue to …showed first 75 words of 522 total…

…showed last 75 words of 522 total…during the war. These memories then play a vital role in how people live their lives as they constantly feel guilt and the other emotions that are experienced. These emotions can cause people to go psychologically ill and push people into depression which can then lead to suicide. Many war veterans have had many different diseases due to conditions during the war which have altered them physically. For these veterans the war will never end.