Paper Summary:

This paper discusses the ways that war is portrayed in literature. It specifically discusses and compares two literary pieces that reflect the heavy weight of war - Tim O'Brien's short story, "The Things They Carried" and Yusef Komunyakaa's poem, "Facing It." The paper looks at the different perspectives of the writer's and discusses how they convey the emotional strain of war through powerful imagery, tone, theme and point of view.

From the Paper:

"In "Facing It," the poet's point of view is serious and nervous with a somber tone. He does not want to cry and tells himself he is made of stone like the wall. When he sees objects reflected in the wall, he is temporarily taken aback and must take a moment to gather himself. For example, when he sees the woman "trying to erase names" (30), he understands that he is catching a reflection of a woman brushing a boys hair. The images blur, representing the blur between the past and the present. In "The Things They Carried," the point of view is from a disillusioned soldier. We read that the soldiers "had no sense of strategy or mission. They searched the villages without knowing what to look for, not caring . . . (15). Here we see that the men feel lost even though they may know exactly where they are. They have no sense of belonging because war has removed any sense of security from them."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Komunyakaa, Yusef. "Facing It." Poem Hunter Online. <http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/facing-it/> Site Accessed April 18, 2008.
• O'Brien, Tim. The Things They Carried. Broadway Books: Broadway, NY. 1990.

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