The class discussion and group presentations regarding The Things They Carried introduced new ideas and points of view. Various themes and rhetorical devices were found throughout each vignette, and connected to the novel’s larger theme. Some universal themes most groups touched upon were that the soldiers had to deal with emotional burdens during the war, the importance of writing as a coping mechanism, and that war takes away the soldier’s past identities.
One thing I noticed is that symbolism was a topic that many groups chose to speak about. Symbolism is a significant rhetorical device found throughout The Things They Carried, as it shows underlying meanings that show can a bigger picture about the novel. In the vignette “On