3. Frame

The Things They Carried almost has a frame story structure to it. There is the story of O’Brien and his present life, where Cross visits him. Then, he begins telling a story of Vietnam. I mean literally in chapter two O’Brien is talking about his current life where Cross visits him, and then Cross starts his story about Martha. My current opinion? I am not sure stories could be a symbol, but I am sure noticing some repetition. Initially, after reading chapter two, I thought this story was going to center on Lieutenant Cross; his love life, and surviving Vietnam, a biography written in the perspective of one of his soldiers in first person. Yet, as chapter three continues, I learned that O’Brien is indeed our narrator and it is almost an autobiographical. However, it is not all about him. It is about he and each man he dedicated this book to. How these men live through Vietnam, after, into the present, and the things they carried along the way.