Description
What is the relationship between the soldier’s mood and the environment / setting?
Start with the introduction which should include the following:
Hook- Use a quote from the short story or from one of your sources that connects to your thesis, and use it to lead into the broader conversation
Broader Conversation: In this case, introduce the author, the short story, and the basic plot (connect it to place). This should lead us to your thesis.
Thesis: Use the one from your Revised Outline. You may adjust it as necessary but remember it should be arguable and should answer the prompts regarding place in the short story.
Next, move on to the body paragraphs of your essay.
These are mostly built for you already, you just need to move from the outline format to a paragraph.
Please read the paragraphs once you put them together, then add transition words phrases, between and within paragraphs to offer a sense of fluidity to your writing and to make sure your body paragraphs are connected.
You should have a minimum of three well-developed (8 or more sentences) paragraphs, but I imagine with your new research, most of you will have more.
Be certain to use MLA9 in-text citations.
If you are using works from O’Brien in addition to the short story, be sure to look up how to do that.
For our O’Brien link, you must cite it as an “article accessed through a database” since that is where we read it from.
Now we need to wrap it up with your closing paragraph
Start with a summary of your own thesis and key points
” Provide a bridge to help your readers make the transition back to their daily lives.”
these are my 3 sources to use.
the question to answer is
What is the relationship between the soldier’s mood and the environment / setting?
I attached an assignment I worked on with quotes from the story that need to used in my essay.
O’Brien, Tim. “The Things They Carried.” LitFinder Contemporary Collection, 2021. Gale Literature: LitFinder, link.gale.com/apps/doc/LTF3000510561WK/LITF?u=lincclin_scc&sid=bookmark-LITF&xid=c824d1e1. Accessed 21 Feb. 2024.
Caforio, Giuseppe. “Psychological problems and stress faced by soldiers who operate in asymmetric warfare environments: experiences in the field.” Journal of Defense Resources Management, vol. 5, no. 2, Oct. 2014, pp. 23+. Gale Academic OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A395847966/AONE?u=lincclin_scc&sid=bookmark-AONE&xid=31c24c68. Accessed 21 Feb. 2024.
Chatterjee, Tirthankar, et al. “Quantification of Mental and Physiological Workload Associated with Two Specialised Military Running Events on Different Terrains.” Defence Life Science Journal, vol. 7, no. 3, 2022, pp. 169–78, https://doi.org/10.14429/dlsj.7.17841
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Dominguez1
Catalina Dominguez
Professor Huff
ENC 1102
16 February 2024
The Weight of War: Geographical Settings and Psychological Impact in ‘The Things They
Carried
In “The Things They Carried,” the geographical setting significantly influences the soldiers’
experiences and mental states, illustrating the profound impact of environment on the human
psyche during wartime.
I. The dense and oppressive jungles of Vietnam contribute to the soldiers’ heightened sense of
vulnerability and fear, shaping their wartime experiences and mental states.
ü War articles or photographs showing or describing the harsh conditions during the
Vietnam war.
ü Studies discussing the characteristics of Vietnams jungles and their impact on military
operations
A. O’Brien vividly describes the oppressive nature of the jungle, stating, “They carried the
land itself—Vietnam, the place, the soil… the weight of a known geography” (O’Brien).
1. The soldiers’ constant awareness of the tangible weight of the land reflects how
the geographical setting becomes a psychological burden, intensifying their
mental states.
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2. O’Brien emphasizes that the soldiers not only carry their physical gear and
equipment but also the very essence of Vietnam itself, including its land, soil, and
the weight of its known geography.
3. This quote also suggests that the soldiers bear the weight not just of their
equipment but also the overwhelming presence of the Vietnamese landscape.
II. The unpredictable and treacherous terrain of Vietnam amplifies the soldiers’ physical and
emotional challenges, contributing to a sense of isolation and hopelessness.
✓ Military reports or historical documents detailing the challenges posed by terrain of Vietnam
✓ Geographical studies about the physical and environmental aspects of vietnams terrain during
the war
A. O’Brien highlights the treacherous terrain, noting, “They carried the sky. The whole
atmosphere, they carried it, the humidity, the monsoons, the stink of fungus and decay,
all of it, they carried gravity” (O’Brien).
1. The soldiers carrying the burden of the atmosphere and the harsh conditions
symbolize the oppressive weight of the environment on their emotional and
physical well-being.
2. O’Brien uses a metaphorical expression to convey that the soldiers bear the weight
of the entire atmosphere above them.
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3. Beyond the physical weight of their equipment, the gravity perhaps symbolizing
the emotional and psychological weight of the war on their shoulders.
III. The constant threat of ambush and the lack of clear boundaries exacerbate the soldiers’
mental stress, fostering an environment where paranoia and hyper-vigilance become the norm.
✓ Articles Veterans from Vietnam war describing their experiences of ambushes and the
absence of clear boundaries
✓ Psychological studies of the impact of contact threat and lack of clear boundaries on
individuals in high stress environments
A. O’Brien depicts the constant threat, stating, “They carried the night, and the night was for
ambush” (O’Brien).
1. The soldiers’ perpetual state of alertness underlines the impact of the geographical
setting, as it blurs the line between safety and danger, intensifying the
psychological toll of war.
2. This quote explicitly connects the night with the specific danger of ambush in a
war context.
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Work Cited
O’Brien, Tim. “The Things They Carried.” LitFinder Contemporary Collection, Gale, 2021. Gale
Literature: LitFinder,
link.gale.com/apps/doc/LTF3000510561WK/LITF?u=lincclin_scc&sid=bookmarkLITF&xid=c824d1e1. Accessed 15 Feb. 2024.
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