The Things They Carried Study Guide

For each character, write a brief description of the character’s role in the stories.  Include some of the following: what did he carry?  how did he/she die?  what is his/her relationship to the other characters?
• Rat Kiley
• Norman Bowker
• Mitchell Sanders
• Tim O’Brien
• Lieutenant Jimmy Cross
• Henry Dobbins
• Kiowa
• Ted Lavender
• Curt Lemon
• Lee Strunk
• Dave Jensen
• Lee Strunk
• Linda
• Mary Anne Bell

Characteristics of a true war story:

For each story, write a brief summary of the plot.  Then, write one major theme (main idea/moral to the story)
• “The Sweetheart of the Song Tra Bong”
• “The Man I Killed”
• “Speaking of Courage”
• “Notes”
• “In the Field”
• “Field Trip”
• “The Ghost Soldiers”
• “Night Life”
• “The Lives of the Dead”

Contemp Lit Study Words

1.    The Bell Jar
2.    Betty Frieden
3.    Esther Greenwood
4.    Sylvia Plath
5.    Mrs. Greenwood
6.    Buddy Willard
7.    Marco
8.    Dr. Gordon
9.    Doreen
10.    Dr. Nolan
11.    Jay-Cee
12.    Betsy
13.    Elly Higginbottom
14.    Black Like Me
15.    John Howard Griffin
16.    Self-hatred
17.    Finding escape
18.    Love
19.    Of Mice and Men
20.    Lennie
21.    George
22.    California
23.    The Great Depression
24.    Crooks
25.    Candy
26.    Curly
27.    Curly’s wife
28.    John Steinbeck
29.    Slaughterhouse Five
30.    Dresden
31.    Kurt Vonnegut
32.    Tralfamdorians
33.    Anti-war
34.    The Children’s Crusade
35.    Mary O’Hare
36.    The Things They Carried
37.    Tim O’Brien
38.    Norman Bowker
39.    Ted Lavender
40.    Curt Lemon
41.    Kiowa
42.    Azar
43.    Rat Kiley
44.    Lieutenant Jimmy Cross
45.    Story Truth
46.    Happening Truth
47.    Absurdity
48.    Existentialism
49.    Foreshadowing
50.    Simile
51.    Irony
52.    Alliteration
53.    Syllogism
54.    Dialogue
55.    Satire

Contemp Lit 12/14

Journal: Why did George shoot Lennie?  On what page does he make this choice?

Graded Assignments due: FInish the book.

Classwork: Notes on motifs, symbols, themes.  Thesis statements.  Discussion.

Homework: Study Guide.

Contemp Lit 12/12

Journal: Compare and Contrast Lennie and George.  Spiritual, Intellectual, Physical, Emotional, Social, Occupational.

Graded Assignments due: Read to page 64.

Classwork: Venn Diagram.  Jigsaw Existentialism.  Read OM&M.

Homework: Finish OM&M

Contemp Lit 12/10

Journal: Make a list or Venn Diagram – Compare and Contrast The Things They Carried and Slaughterhouse Five.

Graded Assignments due: Read to the end of SH5.

Classwork: Discuss SH5.  Last Quiz over SH5. Return SH5. Check out Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck.

Homework: Read to page 64 in OM&M

Contemp Lit 12/4

Journal: Recall a work of fiction you read that changed the way you looked at the world.

Graded Assignments due: Read to p. 134.

Classwork: Essay Quiz. Discuss theme. Read.

Homework: Read to p. 181.

Contemp Lit 11/30

Journal: “There were things Billy Pilgrim could not change. Among them were the past, present, and future.” Reader response.

Graded Assignments due: Read to page 72 in Slaughterhouse Five.

Classwork: True False Quiz. Inferences handout. Class discussion in LGI.

Homework: Read to page 134. Complete Tralfamadorian handout.

Contemp Lit 10/28

Journal: Study

Graded Assignments due: Study  for TTTC test

Classwork: Test.  Dresden reading.  Begin reading Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut.

Homework: Read to p. 72

Contemp Lit 11/26

Journal: Tell a “story truth” from your life.

Graded assignments due: Read to the end of The Things They Carried.

Classwork: Quiz.  Study Guide review.  Analyze stories and themes.

Homework: Study Guide

The Things They Carried Study Guide

Who are these characters? What did they carry? If they died, how did they die?
• Rat Kiley
• Norman Bowker
• Mitchell Sanders
• Tim O’Brien
• Lieutenant Jimmy Cross
• Henry Dobbins
• Kiowa
• Ted Lavender
• Curt Lemon
• Lee Strunk
• Dave Jensen
• Lee Strunk
• Linda
• Mary Anne Bell

Characteristics of a true war story:

Know the beginning, middle, end, and theme of these stories:
• “The Sweetheart of the Song Tra Bong”
• “The Man I Killed”
• “Speaking of Courage”
• “Notes”
• “In the Field”
• “Field Trip”
• “The Ghost Soldiers”
• “Night Life”
• “The Lives of the Dead”