The Things They Carried - Tim O'Brien STUDY NOTES about "In The Field" - includes details about the plot, characters, themes, key quotes and links to other stories

In The Field

Plot:

*The soldiers search for the torso of Kiowa in the shit field.

*Jimmy pass over blames himself, wonders where he went wrong and writes a letter in his offer to Kiowas father.

*A young soldier, presumably Tim though un-named, searches for the picture of his ex-girlfriend.

*Kiowa is frame and proves very difficult to dig out on the field.

Characters:

Jimmy mark: - not a good leader -> he good followed prescribes and camped in the field when he could have moved the attach to to higher, and safer, ground.

- cannot stick to his resolutions -> at the beginning of the chapter he is motivated by Kiowas decease to start being a better lieutenant but by the end of the chapter he is day-dreaming again.

- holds the blame of Kiowas death and excepts it My own fault... (168)

- doesnt want the responsibility given to him. He had never wanted it. (167)

- lacks motivation in his duties until something bad happens.

Themes:

The cost of warfare: - Kiowa was killed.

- Tim lost his girlfriend (and her photo.)

The nature of war: - made the hands happy that they were alive and that some one else was dead sort of of them.

Burdens: - the load of blame -> Jimmy and Tim blame themselves for Kiowas death.



-> Mitchell Sanders blames Jimmy. -> Norman Bowker demonic no-one.

- the burden of responsibility -> Jimmy carries this although he doesnt want to.

- the burden of guilt -> Azar entangle guilty when he saw Kiowas body -> Jimmy felt guilty for all of the events that led to Kiowas death. -> Tim felt guilty for flashing his torch; he likened it to murder.

Coping: - Azar copes with Kiowas death by making jokes (black humour.) Eg: Wasted...

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