The Emotional Baggage of Jimmy Cross in The Things They Carried

The Baggage of Jimmy Cross in "The Things They Carried"

The Weight of Guilt

War's kinda like this big ol' bag that soldiers have to drag around, full of all sorts of physical and emotional junk. Tim O'Brien's book, "The Things They Carried," takes a deep dive into this idea during the Vietnam War. Lieutenant Jimmy Cross is one character that really stands out when it comes to the emotional stuff. He’s basically drowning in guilt over Ted Lavender's death, one of his guys. O'Brien mentions, "He had loved Martha more than his men, and as a consequence, Lavender was now dead" (O'Brien 15). Yeah, Cross blames himself hard for that because he was too busy daydreaming about Martha back home instead of focusing on his squad. Crazy, right?

And it's not like he can just shrug it off and move on. Nope. Cross can't forgive himself even though it wasn't all his fault. This guilt sticks with him through the war, making him question everything he does as a leader. It shapes who he is and shows just how much mental weight war drops on a soldier’s shoulders.

The Burden of Love

Then there’s love—another huge thing weighing down Jimmy Cross. His feelings for Martha are strong, almost like she’s his escape from all the crazy war stuff happening around him. Her letters and photos are treasures he keeps close by. But love isn’t all sunshine; it becomes this distraction that pulls him away from his duties as a soldier. O'Brien says it best: "He was just a kid at war, in love. He was twenty-four years old" (O'Brien 5). In such dangerous times, this love clouds his judgment, leading to tragic mistakes.

This tug-of-war between love and duty that Cross experiences isn't uncommon among soldiers but sure paints a vivid picture of how emotions can trip up even the best intentions during war.

The Weight of Leadership

Finally, let’s talk about leadership—the other big load Jimmy Cross carries around. As the leader, every decision weighs on him 'cause it could mean life or death for his men. O'Brien throws in some lines about how Cross would drift into daydreams "just pretending, walking barefoot along the Jersey shore" (O’Brien 10). Those daydreams show how bad he wants to ditch the chaos and pressure of leadership.

Leading others isn’t easy—Cross feels like he needs to be perfect so nothing goes wrong on his watch. And boy, does that stress pile up fast! It’s like an extra layer to his already heavy emotional baggage.

Conclusion

"The Things They Carried" gives us Jimmy Cross as this really detailed look at what soldiers mentally lug around during wars like Vietnam. Through guilt, love, and trying to lead right under so much pressure, we see just how tough things get for them psychologically speaking.

War doesn’t leave soldiers alone with their thoughts—they carry these things long after they’re done fighting too! Understanding what they’ve been through helps us support vets better once they're home and outta those war zones. So diving into characters like Jimmy Cross lets us see why addressing soldiers' mental health matters big time.

Bibliography

• O'Brien, T. (1990). The Things They Carried. Broadway Books.
• Santoli A., & McCain J.. Everything We Had: An Oral History of the Vietnam War by Thirty-three American Soldiers Who Fought It . Random House Trade Paperbacks; Reprint edition (April 12th 1983)
• Karnow S., Vietnam: A History . Penguin Books; Revised edition (March 1st 1997)
• Mason B., Chickenhawk . Viking Adult; First Edition edition (August 17th 1983)
• Scheer R., With Enough Shovels: Reagan Bush & Nuclear War . Vintage Books USA ; Reprint Edition(September 12 th ,1984 )