The Things They Carried (1990)

In this story, I easily got bored and tired of reading it which was weird because I like war stories but this was more about their thoughts and feelings… and of course what they carried. What I got out of it was that war is tough, physically, mentally, and emotionally. Just reading what they wore and went through concerning natural things got me tired. I would hate to have to feel what they felt, but I just wish we could be told more about Leut. Cross’s relationship with Martha… was she his girlfriend? If so for how long? There are a lot of questions which would allow one to understand why he couldn’t stop thinking about her and especially in war as a leader! In my opinion I don’t think it was a long relationship because if it were he would know whether she loved him or not which he obviously was not sure about. Another thought is that because he constantly though of her sexually and not much about who she was or how she was, I’m not too sure if he really loved her. Maybe he was just a man in war hungry for something and that hunger just drove his mind into another world…. Which involved a certain girl he was “in love” with. Eventually though it seems as if he gets it together and sees that peoples lives are in his hands. As for Martha loving him, it seems as if she is very childish and not caring to much about the war and Leut. Cross’s life being at stake. Considering Cross’s details and his worry’s about her that he has makes me wonder whether they are even a real couple that knows each other because if they did love each other, he would trust her and she would want information on his situation and the war in every letter.