Analysis of Tone of The Things They Carried by Tim O’brien

Introduction to The Things They Carried

In the title chapter of The Things They Carried, six young soldiers of the Vietnam War listen raptly to a monk who has come to their base from another, safer world. Following an unexplained personal moment when the main character plays an elaborate, dangerous prank, the monk confides this strange, elliptical story: “‘I have lived a long time…’” he said at last, “‘but always I am ashamed thinking of the gods. Because they are always indulging in laughter. You know what I mean? - like laughing at people. But in all this time, never do I see them make the noises of joy. Never do they slap their knees, never do they walk about, never make a funny sound. Never do they wash their…’ - he stopped, then went on - ‘I do not see how it is done. That is the reason I came here today. I need instruction.’ This odd story is the closest we get to explication in The Things They Carried. The novel uses this story to cue a serious tone instead, with a positive or negative interpretation left to the individual reader.

The narrative serves as a scrapbook, presenting the theme of death in the Vietnam War. Blood flows, people die, and belongings are destroyed in unnatural ways. The novel incorporates private and universal emotions and thoughts. The author uses tone to depict death and destruction, suggesting that although war remains unchanged, tone can make a difference.

Understanding Tone in Literature

Close reading is a staple in secondary English classes since it is practice in looking at both very small and very large details in a text. This can lead to big considerations of both tone and meaning. Recently, with some students in Advanced Placement Language and Composition, we close read the first half of a text and also practiced the art of literary argumentation with a brief essay prompt about why items were cataloged. Tone has been a major issue in the recent past with this class, so to begin, we looked for what we could talk about in the text. In sharing out responses, we found that tone might be the ticket back in the door.

Tone sets the atmosphere and mood of a text. It includes narrative description, character actions, dialogue, and thoughts. Finding dark emotional and literary work engages readers. Tone encompasses both quantitative and qualitative textual details. It reflects the fabric of storytelling and the characters' emotional connections. Analyzing tone is like exploring the essence of a story. This paragraph emphasizes the importance of diction, syntax, imagery, figurative language, and detail selection. These elements should be prioritized in standardized tests and by students while reading.

Exploring the Various Tones in The Things They Carried

There are a number of subtle and pertinent tones within The Things They Carried, with the author often referencing different emotions within these stories. Some examples include enjoyment, wrestling with the paradox, fear, and abhorrence. The paradoxes that conjure up through the tone of enjoyment do seem to undermine certainty and clarity throughout the text. Although the men detest the war and everything that it stands for, sometimes they feel as if they are being led by the sub words of the war. In the opening chapter, it is noted that "Lieutenant Cross felt the attraction of [Martha's letters], but at the same time he felt the need to stay loyal to his men." It is paradoxically suggested, "It doesn't matter." When paradoxes are entered into, these moments sneakily subvert any previous stances and arguments, allowing readers to feel a sense of surprise. Comfort and unsettling paradoxes are often attributed to the war in the majority of the short stories.

Cross' leadership lacks at times, but he allows the men to shop for war mementos. They feel uneasy trying to comprehend the war. Upon finding a tunnel, they show no fear in disarming mines. Their experiences shed light on the suffering endured during the war. Knowing about the men's lives and desires, each volume of war stories goes beyond simple explosions, becoming profound.

Impact of Tone on Readers’ Perception and Interpretation

The novel The Things They Carried captures the essence of conflict in Vietnam, delving into complex emotions and the blurred lines between truth and fiction. Through its literary traits, the book presents a challenging exploration of masculinity and compassion. The author employs a diverse range of tones to effectively convey their message and evoke emotional responses from readers.

Conclusion and Key Findings

Researchers found distinct differences in tone composition between Vietnam War memoirs and other literary works. Memoirs exhibited a strong negative tone, while reports had a harsher overall tone. O'Brien's tone strategies aligned with the prevailing negative trend in Vietnam War memoirs, emphasizing realism and universal experiences to develop themes. Key findings revealed that unique memoir presentation styles greatly contribute to the persuasive nature of selected narratives, with three narrative word-choice features playing a significant role.