The Things They Carried Socratic Seminar

Student Name: ______

On Tuesday, October 29th, you will be participating in a seminar in class in which you discuss the novel The Things They Carried and the questions below. You must type your answers to these questions and have them ready to turn in Tuesday at the beginning of class. Make sure your answers are based on the TEXT, and there are textual references in each answer. The answers must also be uploaded in turnitin.com by MIDNIGHT of Tuesday night or your answers will not be graded.

Questions: 1. What do you think is the heaviest thing that the men carry? Why? 2. According to the novel, what is a true war story? What is a false war story? 3. What definitions of the word “courage” does the novel suggest? 4. What different meanings of the word “home” are suggested at different times in the novel? 5. What are different “missions” the characters initiate or follow in the nove? 6. Consider the location of these stories. How does the setting affect the mood and direction of each situation? 7. Based on some of O’Brien’s stories, a soldier was either sucked into the war or just on the outskirts. How do you think O’Brien was specifically affected? 8. Has your perception of soldiers and war changed after reading the novel? 9. In “In the Field,” O’Brien states, “When a man died, there had to be blame.” Do you think this is true? In Kiowa’s death, who was to blame? Was there really anyone to blame? 10. What is the narrator’s main conflict? 11. How does memory function in the novel?