Analysis of “The Things They Carried” by Tim O’Brien

Analyze the short story “The Things They Carried” by Tim O’Brien.

In order to analyze fiction, the critic must dissect the basic conventions of fiction: plot—characters-­conflicts—setting—the point of view—theme. What happened or caused something to happen in the story? In what type of conflict is the protagonist involved? What are the motivations and moral nature of the characters? Does the narrator seem reliable or unreliable? Why did the author tell the story, and what worldview emerges from the story?