Martha's Symbolism in The Things They Carried

Introduction

The Things They Carried is a fictional work published by Tim O'Brien in 1990 that depicts the experiences of several American soldiers dealing with boredom and trauma during the Vietnam War. It comprises twenty-two interrelated short stories on the experience and traumatic aftermath of the Vietnam War, with the first piece focusing on the things these soldiers carried to the battlefield. Martha is one of the female characters in this fictional work who is mentioned repeatedly in the first piece. The author depicts Martha as Lieutenant Jimmy Cross's friend, a woman in whom he is interested romantically. Even though Martha views the lieutenant as only a friend, he keeps fantasizing about her. As Lieutenant Cross's friend, Martha's role in the book is not entirely clear despite being mentioned numerous times in the first piece. Nevertheless, Martha symbolizes love, social support, and danger through the letters, photos, and distraction she provides to Lieutenant Jimmy Cross.

Martha as a Symbol of Love Through Letters

Martha's inclusion in the first short story revolves around the letters, photos, and distraction she provides Lieutenant Jimmy Cross. The first reflection of her influence on the lieutenant is the letters they exchanged. While the lieutenant desired a romantic relationship with Martha, she viewed him only as a friend. Through these letters, O'Brien demonstrates that Martha is a symbol of love, particularly to the lieutenant.

Despite being a lieutenant, Jimmy Cross was still seemingly afraid of the horrors and realities of war he faced in Vietnam. Because of these fears, he appeared to need something — or someone — to cling to as a source of hope and encouragement. Compassion for family, friends, and colleagues in the battlefield usually plays a key role in shaping soldiers' experiences of war and its traumatic aftermath. To Lieutenant Jimmy Cross, Martha represented someone on whom he could focus his affection and compassion, even though her feelings for him remained uncertain.

Martha's letters also seemingly symbolized an affection toward the lieutenant, though she remained tight-lipped about how she truly felt. For instance, in one of her letters, "…she never mentioned the war, except to say, Jimmy, take care of yourself" (O'Brien, p. 2). This indicated that she was more interested in the survival and wellbeing of the lieutenant than in discussing the conflict itself. Therefore, Martha is seemingly a symbol of love to Lieutenant Jimmy Cross. As a symbol of love, her letters represented an emotional gateway away from the burdens and realities of the war that the lieutenant and his troops faced. The author uses Martha to depict the girlfriends and wives of soldiers more broadly. Through her letters, Martha reflects how soldiers think about their loved ones while in the battlefield, and her repeated presence in the narrative helps readers understand the emotional weight soldiers carry alongside their physical burdens.

Martha as a Symbol of Social Support Through Photographs

O'Brien's repeated mention of Martha also serves to symbolize social support, particularly through photographs. Lieutenant Jimmy Cross habitually carried Martha's photos and a necklace as reminders of her and the time they had spent together. In addition to functioning as a symbol of love, the two photographs of Martha that Lieutenant Cross kept in his wallet symbolized an aspect of social support through memory. For the lieutenant, these photos represented meaningful moments from his past that could sustain him emotionally while in the field.

Through the photos, the lieutenant reflected on his love for her, recalled the times they had spent together, and regretted certain things he felt he should have done. When in the battlefield, soldiers rely on social support from family, friends, and colleagues to help ease the experience of war and to maintain hope of overcoming its traumatic effects. In this regard, these photographs not only captured the lieutenant's feelings but also provided a form of social support he could draw on to endure the hardships of war.

Conclusion

The Things They Carried is a unique and compelling fictional work that depicts the experiences of American soldiers during and after the Vietnam War. One of the characters mentioned repeatedly in the first piece is Martha, a friend to Lieutenant Jimmy Cross. While Martha's role in this fictional book is relatively difficult to identify at first glance, a critical analysis reveals the author's purpose for including and repeatedly referencing her.

Martha is included and repeatedly mentioned to convey love, social support, and distraction through the letters, photos, and fantasies she inspires. The letters function as a symbol of love that plays a critical role in shaping soldiers' experiences of war, while the photographs reflect memories that simultaneously provide social support. At the same time, Martha serves as a distraction that amplified the risks Lieutenant Cross faced in the battlefield. Through including and mentioning Martha repeatedly, O'Brien emphasizes the intertwined forces of love, social support, and danger that define a soldier's inner life during wartime.

Work Cited

O'Brien, Tim. The Things They Carried. Thorndike Press, 2017.