So far in the book it is still pretty slow which I find to be disappointing however I can feel like it is coming up soon. The story is almost shocking to most people who do not know much about it only that we tried to beat North Vietnam and lost, however the truth is that the reason why we lost was because of the mindset that the soldiers were in new environment, no rules, and paranoia which would soon turn into PTSD. Not everyone is suited for war especially when you are drafted for it. Lots of people moved to Canada however I am still waiting for the protest that should happen soon I believe. Vietnam is one of the last places you want to fight Guerilla warfare in. The environment is rough soaking, and everything that you touch can easily kill you. This war also caused a significant amount of civilian casualties. Now after that small lesson the book is good but not the best book that I have ever read. I would definitely recommend it to a friend but not in a missionary or anything like that. Well nothing to do here so see you later all.
Everyone says this book starts off pretty slow but I feel the author is doing this on purpose, luring the reader in with pointless but detailed descriptions. This reals the reader in by showing his detailed perspective and how he saw it all. Realistically your mind comprehends it but your conscious doesn't, seeking you to read more. Thenceforth you find that the detailedness of the book bring great imagery and thought.
I agree with your comment. Going to war in Vietnam is one of the worst places to go too. Especially knowing the fact that you may not come back is a frightening thought. But I agree that the author made this book slow but he made you engage into the book for every chapter he wrote.
the book is kinda disappointing right now, i thought it would of been more like friends just messing around in the war, but its more serious than that. My dad was in the Vietnam war and i believe him to be a total bad ass.
The Things They Carried is a slow starting book to say the least. Hopefully that will change in the upcoming chapters. Anyhow, O’Brien started the book off by talking of times when he was in Vietnam, but nothing too serious. He mentioned some things that his brothers in arms carried. Some mentioned were photos, marijuana, mosquito repellent, pocket knives, and even condoms. After a few stories of his buddies, O’Brien tells of how he got to Vietnam in the first place. He only recently graduated Harvard with a Ph.D before receiving his draft call. He thought of crossing the border into Canada because he didn’t support the war. I wonder if he regrets his decision to stay and fight in the war? His life could be completely different now, had he crossed when he had the chance. Perhaps he stands by his decision to fight, after all it was his duty as an American citizen to heed the call of war. I’m hoping that the stories he shares later in the book will be more revealing and intriguing. At this point in the story I remain unsure as to why this is a “banned book”. I look forward to reading on and finding out why.
To answer your question on why it is a banned book, for if you continue to read you will see there is various examples of sex and violence. Also there is many scenes of death, and the book is very detailed if you haven't already noticed.
t's obviously a banned book since they specifically went into detail on how a person is shot in the head and how he got blown up by a grenade. Also half the time the soldiers talk about sex. Common Conner, step your game up.
i agree that the book is very slow at the start, and it doesn't get to exciting throughout the book either, but it is an alright book. And for the sex and violence in the book, i don't think it is enough that the book should be banned.
So far in this book, it's been very slow. To me the first few chapters were pretty pointless and boring. I think that the author should've introduced himself at the very beginning instead of later on. To me, it felt like I wasted time. But so far the book is getting a lot better than it started. Reading the authors personal story is very interesting, I was not expecting him to open up to the readers. Having him re-tell his life story about going to war is crazy. Honestly if I was in his situation I wouldn't know what I'll do. Getting a full ride to Harvard, one of the best colleges in America, then getting the news of being drafted to war; I would be more than a little upset about it. One thing I would not do is run away. I think that if you get drafted, you should go no matter how unfair it is. It is very nerve racking knowing the fact that you may not come back alive. People die in war and you might be one of them. But sometimes you just have to suck it up and do what you gotta do.
The reason why I chose this quote is that I feel like every soldiers has its own different personalities. It shows you that they may fight for the same cause, but they're still different individuals. From slingshots to M&M's, they all have different "lucky charms" that they hold on to. I feel that going to war is frightening but you should always have an item that can bring you back to reality. If I ever went to war, I would bring a photo of my family so that I know I'm fighting for a good reason. The characters in this book are very interesting to me. I feel like half of them shouldn't even be in war but sadly they are. They are not fit for it, I mean people bringing there girlfriends underwear or the guy bringing M&M's. I believe that the draft is stupid and shouldn't had been around during this time. Anyways, I believe that these quotes are important since it tells the reader that every soldier is different and should be pictured different from every one else. Also I like it how each soldier brings something they like as a good luck charm so they may conquer the war.
Book Review Assignment #3 The book “the things they carried” by Tim O'Brien is very interesting. It shows a lot of factors that go into war that other books do not. It is a very good book, and I am glad I had got the chance to read this book for my lit circle book. I good summary of the book would be “… if they made it home alive, they carried unrelenting images of a nightmarish war that history is only beginning to absorb.” I liked how the characters in the book acted with each other, joking around and stuff. I also liked what some of the characters carried with them into war, such as condoms, and underwear. Lastly I liked that the old guy is very understanding and mature. I didn’t like how the book wasn’t really like a story. Also how he keeps going back and fourth between war and the present. The characters in the book were great, they each had there own minds and personal traits. They style of writing was alright, I wish it was more interesting and happy and adventurous though. The plot for “the things they carried” was very clear and important, even to how the world is now. I generally liked the book, and the plot is what made the book stand out. The first impression of the book “the things they carried” was that it’s going to be a very funny and interesting book. It turns out that it wasn’t all that funny, but it was definitely interesting. This book has changed the way I look at war, and how I feel about war. I would definitely recommend this book to others. Mostly guys though because I feel it impacts guys more because more guys go into war than girls. But I would recommend it to anyone, it’s a very fascinating and interesting book about the Vietnam war and how the people who were in it felt.
In my honest opinion, The Things They Carried was overall a decent book. It started off really slow but then it started to get more interesting. The book is about the author Tim O’Brien, and he tells you about his life story in which he gets drafted to the Vietnam War. He was set to go to one of the best colleges in the country but sadly got sent off to war. Afterwards he tells about his journey and experience in which he took part of in Vietnam. You meet quite a few different soldiers who have their own different personality. You read about each of the soldiers strengths and weaknesses and how they adjust to their living environment. But my overall thoughts on this book, it was alright and had its moments. Nothing in this book really got my attention and separated itself from the other books I have read before. Don’t get me wrong, it was still a great war book if you’re into that type of genre but I wouldn't recommend it if you were just trying to read a book for fun. The only good part that I did like about this book was when the author went into detailed about how the soldiers died. Other than that, it was honestly kind of boring and also not that exciting. For an example, the first few chapters weren't pointless, but it didn't have to be in the book. He could have easily not included it and went straight to the point of the book. But also I'm not a writer, so my opinion can easily be useless to say. Lastly I would have to say that this book is not the best book I have ever read, but also not the worst. If you do have spare time to read a book, The Things They Carried is not that bad of a choice.
I agree that this book isn't something you should read if you want something fun. The author did do a really good job of detailing the deaths of the soldiers we met in the story. Each one had their own unique way of passing. There were a lot of great quotes in this book as well.
I agree when you say that this book didn't get your attention or separate it from other books you have read, and i am in the same position. i feel like the author should have put the book into a normal format for a book, like from beginning to end, it might have made it a little more exciting if it was wrote differently.
“You’re never more alive than when you’re almost dead.”
This is a powerful quote to me. O’Brien really captures what the war does to you in this sentence. These soldiers are in a foreign land where things have escalated to a near 300,000 US troops on the ground. O’Brien’s adrenaline is at an all time high and it shows no signs of slowing. People around him are dying. It could be him next and his body is on full alert all the time. He’s in an almost animalistic state where his senses are all he has to rely on for his survival. He mentions that he feels almost electric in the night. He can feel his blood circulating through his body. Certainly O’Brien is not the only soldier experiencing these feelings.
I can relate in a way to this quote because of what could have been a near-death experience on the highway. My friend lost control of his car and we spun out doing a 360. During the five or so seconds between losing control and coming to a stop, my body was in a heightened state of sensation. Time seemed to slow down and I perceived everything around me all at once. I could feel everything in that moment. I agree with this quote from O’Brien, but I am in no way directly comparing my situation to his because war is something I wouldn't even know the first thing about.
Tim O’Brien’s “ The Things They Carried” was an interesting read. The story is about O’Brien’s life in the pre-war, war, and post war stages. It is unlike any other war story with emphasis on individual soldiers and what they carried into the war and what they left with; some of which being intangible O’Brien had a very unique style of writing in this book. He switched from first and third person perspectives often and also skipped around from present to past and back to the present which got confusing for me sometimes. I enjoyed reading it because it was so different from the stereotypical war story. It felt real and believable because nothing seemed over the top or far fetched. Although I expected it to be at first, this book was not a tale of heroism and I’m glad it wasn’t. Despite the slow start and the non-existing hook, I still feel that this book has value and I would recommend it to somebody that was really looking for something different within the genre. I would not recommend this to somebody who is looking for a fun book to read. It was probably the opposite of fun because war is not meant to be a lighthearted topic. A quote I liked from this was “When you’re afraid, really afraid, you see things you never saw before. You pay attention to the world.” O’Brian really touches on those things in this book and that is why I would recommend it.
I agree with your comment. I believe that switching from character to character in first person and third person view was often confusing. Half the time I didn't know what was going on. But overall it wasn't that bad of a book. It started of slow but then it got better throughout the chapters. I still wouldn't recommend this book if you were just trying to read it for fun.
Censorship is a trivial topic today. Our country prides itself on being “free” and having all of these freedoms protected by the constitution. Certainly, some things must be censored though. But where do you draw that line of encroaching on people’s freedoms to read whatever they want? Well, in literature, some things are banned from public libraries due to graphic content, violence, or sex. Sometimes those things are used to enhance the story but still end up getting banned. I don’t agree that books should ever be banned from the public. Libraries are like a haven of knowledge and adventure and it’s all free. Why should some things be kept from the public? I do see that quite obviously they don’t want pornographic novels or anything like that in their libraries and I agree with that. I think it’s kind of silly though to ban an entire book for just a small sexual scene. So, I think it’s okay to censor things in moderation. Excessive use of violence or sex could be grounds for banning but if it is just a small part of the story I don’t think it should be a big deal.
“The Things They Carried” was a challenged book because it is compiled with a multitude of graphic scenes. These range from “Curt Lemon hanging in pieces from a tree,” to “Kiowa sinking into the deep mulch of a shit field.” I think it’s an unreasonable ban because the Vietnam war was a major part of American history and this book was the story told from a soldier’s memory. O’Brien gave us insight on parts of war that those of us who have never experienced it would have probably never thought about.
In my honest opinion, there is a certain limit in which a school library should ban a book from students to read. I get that some books are "too explicit" or "gory" but it doesn't change that students already know all of those things. We are teenagers, we are suppose to like those "bad" things. Sex and money usually catches our attention now a days. I do feel like it is acceptable for school libraries to ban certain books. But that book has to be on a whole another level of for it to be banned. For an example, Fifty Shades of Grey. I wouldn't want elementary or middle school students to read about detailed sex scenes. A role for a student when the book is banned is to do nothing. You shouldn't waste your time and energy to try and make a banned book unbanned. There are times and places where there should be censorship in the world. But majority of the time, things shouldn't be banned. We live in a free world in which we can do, read, watch anything we want. It's your own life, live it to the fullest.
I feel that it is very acceptable to ban some books that are very inappropriate, but on the other hand, most books you have to read in detail to fully understand what a certain scene is all about and what it truly means. If a school library is going to ban a book from students than I believe they should have a very good reason, just because the book has some sex scenes or inappropriate language than it should not be banned. They should not be banned because most teens can relate to most of that. And if teens relate to the book, they are more interested generally. On the other hand, a lot of books should be banned, such as 50 shades of grey. That’s just inappropriate. And then some of those magazines, oh those shouldn’t be in school either, that would just be weird if you were sitting next to some guy and he was reading playboy or something. I would not sit by him. Language in a book, unless its like seriously every line, should not be the reason the book gets banned from a school library. Even teachers talk like that out side of school I bet.
So far, in the book “the things they carried” by Tim O’Brien it’s just about some of the little things that happen in war. They carry some weird things though, like there girl’s underwear, that’s weird. And why would some guy bring condoms to war? Is there girls there or something? I think that would just add weight to what you actually need to carry to survive. I like so far that the guys in the book are all joking around with each other and stuff. But it doesn’t really say anything interesting about the Vietnam War yet, hopefully it does soon. I’m kind of unclear on where the author is going to go from here, is he going to tell stories about the time he had in the Vietnam War? Or is he going to go back home and create a family. I really think its interesting when they say how much ammo and stuff they carry and how they get airdrops everyday or something for food, I would of thought that they have to find there own food and live off the land, but I don’t know. I wonder what kind of food they get out there, and if the Vietnamese people ever tried to take one of there airdrops.
Set in the Vietnam War, "The Things They Carried" written by Tim O'Brien, tells a story that not only explains the physical burdens soldiers carry during war, but also the emotional and psychological burdens that are placed upon the shoulders of young men forced to war. Young narrator, Jimmy Cross, is drafted into a battle he would have never even thought to sign up for. The novel is of him recalling his war stories. You can never be fully aware if what Jimmy's character is telling you is the truth or fiction. However, it becomes clear throughout each chapter that the truth is not the point in this story, but rather how he makes you feel reading potentially true stories of soldiers and their experiences. The story itself is not a parallel to the current war, however one can definitely take the underlying message and apply it to not just war, but any kind of tragedy people go through. A quote from the book explains this potential message. “It is so hard for me to explain how I felt, the fear, sadness, pain, but I can try to explain it if I can find the right story.”
Author Tim O'Brien has written many books on the Vietnam war era, and his work is considered some of the best on the topic. Many of his books thoroughly explain the physical and emotional impact the war can have on soldiers. In 1979 O'Brien won an award, The U.S. National Book award, for his book “Going After Cacciato.”
I would recommend this book to anyone who is not afraid of war stories. This book is not for the faint of heart due to its graphic descriptions of death. Whether they be hand grenades or a sniper shot to the head, O’Brien went out of his way to paint a mental picture of the deaths of fellow soldiers. I personally enjoyed the detail simply because it set a mood that makes you want to keep going, but I can see why plenty of people that would be disturbed by such vivid detail. All around I give the book an eight out of ten; its not the best war book out there, but certainly among the greats.
So far in the book it is still pretty slow which I find to be disappointing however I can feel like it is coming up soon. The story is almost shocking to most people who do not know much about it only that we tried to beat North Vietnam and lost, however the truth is that the reason why we lost was because of the mindset that the soldiers were in new environment, no rules, and paranoia which would soon turn into PTSD. Not everyone is suited for war especially when you are drafted for it. Lots of people moved to Canada however I am still waiting for the protest that should happen soon I believe. Vietnam is one of the last places you want to fight Guerilla warfare in. The environment is rough soaking, and everything that you touch can easily kill you. This war also caused a significant amount of civilian casualties. Now after that small lesson the book is good but not the best book that I have ever read. I would definitely recommend it to a friend but not in a missionary or anything like that. Well nothing to do here so see you later all.
ReplyDeleteEveryone says this book starts off pretty slow but I feel the author is doing this on purpose, luring the reader in with pointless but detailed descriptions. This reals the reader in by showing his detailed perspective and how he saw it all. Realistically your mind comprehends it but your conscious doesn't, seeking you to read more. Thenceforth you find that the detailedness of the book bring great imagery and thought.
DeleteI agree with your comment. Going to war in Vietnam is one of the worst places to go too. Especially knowing the fact that you may not come back is a frightening thought. But I agree that the author made this book slow but he made you engage into the book for every chapter he wrote.
Deletethe book is kinda disappointing right now, i thought it would of been more like friends just messing around in the war, but its more serious than that. My dad was in the Vietnam war and i believe him to be a total bad ass.
DeleteThe Things They Carried is a slow starting book to say the least. Hopefully that will change in the upcoming chapters. Anyhow, O’Brien started the book off by talking of times when he was in Vietnam, but nothing too serious. He mentioned some things that his brothers in arms carried. Some mentioned were photos, marijuana, mosquito repellent, pocket knives, and even condoms. After a few stories of his buddies, O’Brien tells of how he got to Vietnam in the first place. He only recently graduated Harvard with a Ph.D before receiving his draft call. He thought of crossing the border into Canada because he didn’t support the war. I wonder if he regrets his decision to stay and fight in the war? His life could be completely different now, had he crossed when he had the chance. Perhaps he stands by his decision to fight, after all it was his duty as an American citizen to heed the call of war. I’m hoping that the stories he shares later in the book will be more revealing and intriguing. At this point in the story I remain unsure as to why this is a “banned book”. I look forward to reading on and finding out why.
ReplyDeleteTo answer your question on why it is a banned book, for if you continue to read you will see there is various examples of sex and violence. Also there is many scenes of death, and the book is very detailed if you haven't already noticed.
Deletet's obviously a banned book since they specifically went into detail on how a person is shot in the head and how he got blown up by a grenade. Also half the time the soldiers talk about sex. Common Conner, step your game up.
Deletei agree that the book is very slow at the start, and it doesn't get to exciting throughout the book either, but it is an alright book. And for the sex and violence in the book, i don't think it is enough that the book should be banned.
DeleteSo far in this book, it's been very slow. To me the first few chapters were pretty pointless and boring. I think that the author should've introduced himself at the very beginning instead of later on. To me, it felt like I wasted time. But so far the book is getting a lot better than it started. Reading the authors personal story is very interesting, I was not expecting him to open up to the readers. Having him re-tell his life story about going to war is crazy. Honestly if I was in his situation I wouldn't know what I'll do. Getting a full ride to Harvard, one of the best colleges in America, then getting the news of being drafted to war; I would be more than a little upset about it. One thing I would not do is run away. I think that if you get drafted, you should go no matter how unfair it is. It is very nerve racking knowing the fact that you may not come back alive. People die in war and you might be one of them. But sometimes you just have to suck it up and do what you gotta do.
ReplyDelete"Lee Strunk carried a slingshot; a weapon of last resort. Mitchell Sanders carried brass knuckles. Kiowa carried his grandfather's feathered hatchet."
ReplyDelete"Rat Kiley carried brandy and M&M's candy."
"Henry Dobbins carried his girlfriend's pantyhose wrapped around his neck as a comforter."
The reason why I chose this quote is that I feel like every soldiers has its own different personalities. It shows you that they may fight for the same cause, but they're still different individuals. From slingshots to M&M's, they all have different "lucky charms" that they hold on to. I feel that going to war is frightening but you should always have an item that can bring you back to reality. If I ever went to war, I would bring a photo of my family so that I know I'm fighting for a good reason. The characters in this book are very interesting to me. I feel like half of them shouldn't even be in war but sadly they are. They are not fit for it, I mean people bringing there girlfriends underwear or the guy bringing M&M's. I believe that the draft is stupid and shouldn't had been around during this time. Anyways, I believe that these quotes are important since it tells the reader that every soldier is different and should be pictured different from every one else. Also I like it how each soldier brings something they like as a good luck charm so they may conquer the war.
DeleteBook Review Assignment #3
ReplyDeleteThe book “the things they carried” by Tim O'Brien is very interesting. It shows a lot of factors that go into war that other books do not. It is a very good book, and I am glad I had got the chance to read this book for my lit circle book.
I good summary of the book would be “… if they made it home alive, they carried unrelenting images of a nightmarish war that history is only beginning to absorb.”
I liked how the characters in the book acted with each other, joking around and stuff. I also liked what some of the characters carried with them into war, such as condoms, and underwear. Lastly I liked that the old guy is very understanding and mature. I didn’t like how the book wasn’t really like a story. Also how he keeps going back and fourth between war and the present.
The characters in the book were great, they each had there own minds and personal traits. They style of writing was alright, I wish it was more interesting and happy and adventurous though. The plot for “the things they carried” was very clear and important, even to how the world is now. I generally liked the book, and the plot is what made the book stand out.
The first impression of the book “the things they carried” was that it’s going to be a very funny and interesting book. It turns out that it wasn’t all that funny, but it was definitely interesting. This book has changed the way I look at war, and how I feel about war. I would definitely recommend this book to others. Mostly guys though because I feel it impacts guys more because more guys go into war than girls. But I would recommend it to anyone, it’s a very fascinating and interesting book about the Vietnam war and how the people who were in it felt.
In my honest opinion, The Things They Carried was overall a decent book. It started off really slow but then it started to get more interesting. The book is about the author Tim O’Brien, and he tells you about his life story in which he gets drafted to the Vietnam War. He was set to go to one of the best colleges in the country but sadly got sent off to war. Afterwards he tells about his journey and experience in which he took part of in Vietnam. You meet quite a few different soldiers who have their own different personality. You read about each of the soldiers strengths and weaknesses and how they adjust to their living environment. But my overall thoughts on this book, it was alright and had its moments. Nothing in this book really got my attention and separated itself from the other books I have read before. Don’t get me wrong, it was still a great war book if you’re into that type of genre but I wouldn't recommend it if you were just trying to read a book for fun. The only good part that I did like about this book was when the author went into detailed about how the soldiers died. Other than that, it was honestly kind of boring and also not that exciting. For an example, the first few chapters weren't pointless, but it didn't have to be in the book. He could have easily not included it and went straight to the point of the book. But also I'm not a writer, so my opinion can easily be useless to say. Lastly I would have to say that this book is not the best book I have ever read, but also not the worst. If you do have spare time to read a book, The Things They Carried is not that bad of a choice.
ReplyDeleteBlog assignment 3; response
DeleteI agree that this book isn't something you should read if you want something fun. The author did do a really good job of detailing the deaths of the soldiers we met in the story. Each one had their own unique way of passing. There were a lot of great quotes in this book as well.
Blog assignment 3: response
DeleteI agree when you say that this book didn't get your attention or separate it from other books you have read, and i am in the same position. i feel like the author should have put the book into a normal format for a book, like from beginning to end, it might have made it a little more exciting if it was wrote differently.
Blog assignment 2:
ReplyDelete“You’re never more alive than when you’re almost dead.”
This is a powerful quote to me. O’Brien really captures what the war does to you in this sentence. These soldiers are in a foreign land where things have escalated to a near 300,000 US troops on the ground. O’Brien’s adrenaline is at an all time high and it shows no signs of slowing. People around him are dying. It could be him next and his body is on full alert all the time. He’s in an almost animalistic state where his senses are all he has to rely on for his survival. He mentions that he feels almost electric in the night. He can feel his blood circulating through his body. Certainly O’Brien is not the only soldier experiencing these feelings.
I can relate in a way to this quote because of what could have been a near-death experience on the highway. My friend lost control of his car and we spun out doing a 360. During the five or so seconds between losing control and coming to a stop, my body was in a heightened state of sensation. Time seemed to slow down and I perceived everything around me all at once. I could feel everything in that moment. I agree with this quote from O’Brien, but I am in no way directly comparing my situation to his because war is something I wouldn't even know the first thing about.
Blog assignment 3:
ReplyDeleteTim O’Brien’s “ The Things They Carried” was an interesting read. The story is about O’Brien’s life in the pre-war, war, and post war stages. It is unlike any other war story with emphasis on individual soldiers and what they carried into the war and what they left with; some of which being intangible O’Brien had a very unique style of writing in this book. He switched from first and third person perspectives often and also skipped around from present to past and back to the present which got confusing for me sometimes. I enjoyed reading it because it was so different from the stereotypical war story. It felt real and believable because nothing seemed over the top or far fetched. Although I expected it to be at first, this book was not a tale of heroism and I’m glad it wasn’t.
Despite the slow start and the non-existing hook, I still feel that this book has value and I would recommend it to somebody that was really looking for something different within the genre. I would not recommend this to somebody who is looking for a fun book to read. It was probably the opposite of fun because war is not meant to be a lighthearted topic. A quote I liked from this was “When you’re afraid, really afraid, you see things you never saw before. You pay attention to the world.” O’Brian really touches on those things in this book and that is why I would recommend it.
I agree with your comment. I believe that switching from character to character in first person and third person view was often confusing. Half the time I didn't know what was going on. But overall it wasn't that bad of a book. It started of slow but then it got better throughout the chapters. I still wouldn't recommend this book if you were just trying to read it for fun.
DeleteBlog assignment 4:
ReplyDeleteCensorship is a trivial topic today. Our country prides itself on being “free” and having all of these freedoms protected by the constitution. Certainly, some things must be censored though. But where do you draw that line of encroaching on people’s freedoms to read whatever they want? Well, in literature, some things are banned from public libraries due to graphic content, violence, or sex. Sometimes those things are used to enhance the story but still end up getting banned. I don’t agree that books should ever be banned from the public. Libraries are like a haven of knowledge and adventure and it’s all free. Why should some things be kept from the public? I do see that quite obviously they don’t want pornographic novels or anything like that in their libraries and I agree with that. I think it’s kind of silly though to ban an entire book for just a small sexual scene. So, I think it’s okay to censor things in moderation. Excessive use of violence or sex could be grounds for banning but if it is just a small part of the story I don’t think it should be a big deal.
“The Things They Carried” was a challenged book because it is compiled with a multitude of graphic scenes. These range from “Curt Lemon hanging in pieces from a tree,” to “Kiowa sinking into the deep mulch of a shit field.”
I think it’s an unreasonable ban because the Vietnam war was a major part of American history and this book was the story told from a soldier’s memory. O’Brien gave us insight on parts of war that those of us who have never experienced it would have probably never thought about.
In my honest opinion, there is a certain limit in which a school library should ban a book from students to read. I get that some books are "too explicit" or "gory" but it doesn't change that students already know all of those things. We are teenagers, we are suppose to like those "bad" things. Sex and money usually catches our attention now a days. I do feel like it is acceptable for school libraries to ban certain books. But that book has to be on a whole another level of for it to be banned. For an example, Fifty Shades of Grey. I wouldn't want elementary or middle school students to read about detailed sex scenes. A role for a student when the book is banned is to do nothing. You shouldn't waste your time and energy to try and make a banned book unbanned. There are times and places where there should be censorship in the world. But majority of the time, things shouldn't be banned. We live in a free world in which we can do, read, watch anything we want. It's your own life, live it to the fullest.
ReplyDeleteAssignment #4
ReplyDeleteI feel that it is very acceptable to ban some books that are very inappropriate, but on the other hand, most books you have to read in detail to fully understand what a certain scene is all about and what it truly means. If a school library is going to ban a book from students than I believe they should have a very good reason, just because the book has some sex scenes or inappropriate language than it should not be banned. They should not be banned because most teens can relate to most of that. And if teens relate to the book, they are more interested generally. On the other hand, a lot of books should be banned, such as 50 shades of grey. That’s just inappropriate. And then some of those magazines, oh those shouldn’t be in school either, that would just be weird if you were sitting next to some guy and he was reading playboy or something. I would not sit by him. Language in a book, unless its like seriously every line, should not be the reason the book gets banned from a school library. Even teachers talk like that out side of school I bet.
Assignment #1
ReplyDeleteSo far, in the book “the things they carried” by Tim O’Brien it’s just about some of the little things that happen in war. They carry some weird things though, like there girl’s underwear, that’s weird. And why would some guy bring condoms to war? Is there girls there or something? I think that would just add weight to what you actually need to carry to survive. I like so far that the guys in the book are all joking around with each other and stuff. But it doesn’t really say anything interesting about the Vietnam War yet, hopefully it does soon. I’m kind of unclear on where the author is going to go from here, is he going to tell stories about the time he had in the Vietnam War? Or is he going to go back home and create a family. I really think its interesting when they say how much ammo and stuff they carry and how they get airdrops everyday or something for food, I would of thought that they have to find there own food and live off the land, but I don’t know. I wonder what kind of food they get out there, and if the Vietnamese people ever tried to take one of there airdrops.
Assignment #3
ReplyDeleteSet in the Vietnam War, "The Things They Carried" written by Tim O'Brien, tells a story that not only explains the physical burdens soldiers carry during war, but also the emotional and psychological burdens that are placed upon the shoulders of young men forced to war. Young narrator, Jimmy Cross, is drafted into a battle he would have never even thought to sign up for. The novel is of him recalling his war stories. You can never be fully aware if what Jimmy's character is telling you is the truth or fiction. However, it becomes clear throughout each chapter that the truth is not the point in this story, but rather how he makes you feel reading potentially true stories of soldiers and their experiences. The story itself is not a parallel to the current war, however one can definitely take the underlying message and apply it to not just war, but any kind of tragedy people go through. A quote from the book explains this potential message. “It is so hard for me to explain how I felt, the fear, sadness, pain, but I can try to explain it if I can find the right story.”
Author Tim O'Brien has written many books on the Vietnam war era, and his work is considered some of the best on the topic. Many of his books thoroughly explain the physical and emotional impact the war can have on soldiers. In 1979 O'Brien won an award, The U.S. National Book award, for his book “Going After Cacciato.”
I would recommend this book to anyone who is not afraid of war stories. This book is not for the faint of heart due to its graphic descriptions of death. Whether they be hand grenades or a sniper shot to the head, O’Brien went out of his way to paint a mental picture of the deaths of fellow soldiers. I personally enjoyed the detail simply because it set a mood that makes you want to keep going, but I can see why plenty of people that would be disturbed by such vivid detail. All around I give the book an eight out of ten; its not the best war book out there, but certainly among the greats.