Symbolism in TTTC

Weight plays an important role in The Things They Carried. Tim O'Brien mentions the weight of nearly every item that the men carry, both tangible and intangible. For example, Rat Kiley, the medic carries various medical supplies for a total of 18 pounds.. Henry Dobbins, a big man, carried a 23 pound gun and up to 15 pounds of ammo. But the heaviest things. On top of this, the men carry around 16 pounds of necessities, plus other heavy items such as guns and helmets. But the heaviest items are carried by Lieutenant Cross. What he carries goes beyond physical items. No, Cross carries responsibility for his men, guilt for letting a soldier die under his command, and the knowledge that the girl he loves, Martha, does not feel the same way about him. The average age of the men under Cross's command is just 19 years old. That means that Cross has been tasked with ensuring that these young man return to their families at the end of the war so that they may carry out the rest of the lives. Not only that, but these men have absolutely zero experience with war, and may not even want to be there (in Vietnam) fighting one. On top of this, Ted Lavender, one of Cross's men, was shot and killed because Cross was too busy thinking about the Martha. Whether or not he actually could have prevented the death, Cross believes that it's his fault Lavender died. So now, Lieutenant Cross carries the weight of making sure no more of his men die and the guilt that he already failed to protect one. Finally, to top it all off, Lieutenant Cross knows that Martha doesn't love him back. Here he is, half a planet away from someone he loves, and there's nothing he can do to figure out why she doesn't feel the same way. I cannot think of anything more frustrating than that. All together, Cross carries the responsibility for his men, the guilt of letting one die, and the frustration of loving somebody who doesn't love him back. Together, these things way more than any physical item the men have to carry.