The Dilemma of Lieutenant Jimmy Cross in Tim O’Brien’s “The Things They Carried” Essay Example for Free

The Dilemma of police lieutenant Jimmy Cross in Tim OBriens The Things They Carried EssayIn Tim OBriens The Things They Carried First Lieutenant Jimmy Cross is a 24 year old young man in bang with a girl named Martha, who is thrust into the jungles of Vietnam. Carrying the debt instrument for the lives of his men however distr constituteed by his fantasies of Martha, tragedy strikes his platoon and Ted Lavender is shot and killed. (p. 97). Lieutenant Cross grieves for Lavender, for Martha, for himself, as he curtails his daydreams determined to perform his duties firmly and without negligence. (p. 106).PARAGRAPHThe war was gruesome, relentless, monotonous, and purposeless. The men of Lieutenant Crosss platoon carried everything they needed (and some things they did not) on their persons as they humped it through the jungles of Vietnam (p. 98). They carried food, clothing, bedding, weapons, photos, diseases, parasites, wounded and dead comrades, memories, reputations, dreams , and the common recondite of cowardice barely restrained (p. 105). They carried things for many different reasons choice, necessity, entertainment, superstition, or as a function of locate or field specialty.PARAGRAPH Among his things, Lieutenant Cross carried memories, letters, pictures, and a good luck charm from a young college student named Martha. Although they dated before the war, they only kissed briefly, and her letters carried news of a separate-but-together quality they shared out (p. 99). He knew that just because she signed her letters love Martha did not mean she was in love with him, but he was hopeful. He often lost himself in fantasies of her, wondering intimately her virginity and what her truest feelings were (p. 99).He moved slow and distractedly finding it difficult to keep his nous on war and his mens security. His mind continuously wandered to thoughts of Marthas smooth young face, thinking he loved her more than anything, more than his men, and nowada ys Ted Lavender was dead because he loved her so much and could not stop thinking about her (p. 99). He was young and in love and could not help it but he was ashamed and scorned himself too. PARAGRAPH Among his things, Ted Lavender who was scared, carried tranquilizers, premium dope and extra ammunition, necessities for him.On the day he was shot and killed, he had just popped a tranquilizer and gone off to pee. Caught by a bullet to the head, in the act of zipping up, he went down instantly, under an exceptional burden of unweighed fear and extra bullets (p. 99). PARAGRAPH The morning by and by Ted Lavender died, First Lieutenant Jimmy Cross crouched at the bottom of his foxhole and burned Marthas letters. Then he burned the two photographs (p. 105). He cognize that daydreams of unrequited love had no say in this nightmare world he called reality.He knew that this sentimental gesture could not burn the pick he felt for Lavenders death, but perhaps it would keep the rest of the platoon alive. PARAGRAPH Lieutenant Jimmy Crosss dilemma arose from the natural impulses of a young man in love coupled with the incessant responsibilities of a combat officer. Following Lavenders death he realized that his obligation was not to be loved but to lead (p. 107). A heavy burden to leave indeed. He vowed to himself diligence to his officers duties, fully intending to run a tight ship irrespective of the complaints of his men.