the things they carried

Tim O'Brien

The narrator and protagonist (also the author's fictionalized version of himself), who uses storytelling to cope with his guilt and trauma from the war. He is a reluctant soldier who went to war because he was too embarrassed not to.

First Lieutenant Jimmy Cross

The platoon leader, who is wracked with guilt over the deaths of his men, particularly Ted Lavender and Kiowa, which he attributes to being distracted by his unrequited love for a girl back home named Martha.

Kiowa

A devoutly religious, quiet, and moral Native American soldier who carries an illustrated New Testament and a hunting hatchet. He is O'Brien's closest friend in the company and his death in a sewage field is a central, traumatic event

Rat" Kiley

The competent medic known for his tall tales and the emotional burdens he carries. He eventually has a mental breakdown due to the war's stress and shoots himself in the foot to get evacuated.

Norman Bowker

A quiet soldier who is deeply affected by the war and the arbitrary nature of death. He blames himself for not saving Kiowa and later, unable to readjust to civilian life and find meaning, commits suicide after the war.

Henry Dobbins

The large, strong, and decent machine gunner who wears his girlfriend's pantyhose around his neck for luck. He acts

Mitchell Sanders

A respected and likable soldier who often looks for the "moral" in war stories and has a strong sense of justice.

Ted Lavender

A young, scared soldier who takes tranquilizers and drugs to cope with his fear. He is the first to die in the book, his death serving as a brutal introduction to the reality of the war.

Azar

A cruel and unsympathetic soldier who enjoys the violence and makes light of death and suffering, though he later shows a moment of remorse when helping recover Kiowa's body.

Mary Anne Bell

Mark Fossie's girlfriend who is flown into Vietnam. She undergoes a profound transformation, becoming increasingly drawn to the war and the jungle, eventually disappearing and symbolizing a loss of innocence.