Courtney Amick

The Things They Carried Timed Writing

In The Things They Carried, Tim OBrien mentions his conscious effort to bring people back to
life through his writing. His manipulation of time in the novel allows him to accomplish this. In addition,
it allows for the repetition of certain events in order to convey their impact on him as a person.
OBriens manipulation of time allows characters to be brought back to life. For example, at one
point, in the chapter on ghosts, Kiowa is once against alive even though he sank into the mud much
earlier in the story. This power to manipulate time creates a sense of immortality in the soldiers,
allowing them to live on throughout the book and the war. Though they might be killed, they can be
brought back. With time being at the hands of the one telling their story, they are never forgotten.
OBrien never has to leave his comrades behind because he can resurrect them whenever he chooses.
The use of time to repeat events also has a key impact on the story. For example, OBrien
replays the event of killing the delicate young man on the trail several times. He and his star shaped hole
in his head haunted OBrien. By replaying the event, it is clear that OBrien keeps returning to that
moment in time in his head, so he keeps returning to it in the story. The same is true for Kiowa sinking
into the mud. That moment in time is repeated so often, it is obvious it had a large impact on the
soldiers. Repetition of moments in time serves to highlight key events in the war.
In addition, the repetition of key events may be placed strategically, so as to coincide with other
events. This could help to better explain other seemingly unrelated events and better connect the plot.
For example, his repetition of Kiowas death helps to better explain why OBrien takes Kathleen to the
mud and sinks Kiowas moccasins. The effect of this act is heightened by the understood gravity of
Kiowas death.
Comment [C1]: Unnecessary, delete
Comment [C2]: Change to the book, the war
and OBriens memory
Comment [C3]: Unnecessary, delete
Comment [C4]: Never truly has to leave
Comment [C5]: Change to Exemplifies what
events were significant in OBriens memory
Comment [C6]: Change to he
Comment [C7]: Change to recounts
Comment [C8]: The young man
Comment [C9]: Continually referring to this
Comment [C10]: Change to helps because it is
more solid
Comment [C11]: delete
Comment [C12]: change to reveals
Courtney Amick

The resurrection of the dead and emphasis on key events by repetition are all accomplished
through the manipulation of time. If it were not for OBriens lapses in chronological order, soldiers may
have been forgotten, the effects of events understated and the causes of certain events unknown.