The Things They Carried Characters

Tim O'Brien

narrator, protagonist. Doesn't want to go to war, almost flees the country but rationalizes for his feelings towards his family and can't let them down. Uses abilities to tell stories after war is over to deal with guilt and confusion

Jimmy Cross

Lieutenant, is in love with Martha, blames himself for the deaths of Ted Lavender and Kiowa because of his day dreaming

Mitchell Sanders

RTO,one of the most likable soldiers in the war. Kind, devoted and has a strong sense of morality and justice. Story telling influences O'Brien although it doesn't match his own ways.

Norman Bowker

Embodies what damages the war can leave on a person after it is over. Profoundly impacted by the death of Kiowa

Henry Dobbins

Machine gunner and gentle giant. Lucky stockings

Rat Kiley

Real name Bob, platoon's medic. Tells the story to his fellow soldiers of the "sweetheart of the song tra bong" Eventually is overwhelmed with stress of the war and must go. Is the most effected by Curt Lemon's death

Curt Lemon

Childish soldier, stepped on a mine and killed while playing catch with a grenade. Represents the immaturity of many young American soldiers in Vietnam and what can happen. Story of the Dentist.

Ted Lavender

Young, scared soldier. Takes drugs to calm himself down. Dies in the beginning of the story while walking back from the bathroom.

Lee Strunk

Minor character; struggle with Dave Jensen over a knife causes him to break his nose. Dies because of wounds, goes against the pact made with Jensen that if either man were to suffer non healable injuries, they would kill him.

Dave Jensen

Minor character; claims Lee Strunk stole his knife, breaks his nose, then breaks his own nose out of guilt. Makes a pact with Strunk to kill him if he ever suffers serious injuries but in the end doesn't and Strunk dies on his own. Jensen is relieved of all guilt

Azar

Unsympathetic, mean-spirited and cruel. Pokes fun at Vietnamese corpses. Represents cruelty as a defense mechanism in soldiers

Bobby Jorgensen

Medic who takes over after Rat Kiley must leave. Does not treat O'Brien's second gun shot wound properly and it becomes infected. O'Brien is sent to a medical base and because of it blames him for disconnecting him from his friends. He and O'Brien try to get revenge on each other and eventually work things out.

Elroy Berdahl

Manager of the Tip Top Lodge on the Rainy River by the Canadian border. He is there for Tim during a hard time and does not judge.

Kathleen

O'Brien's young daughter, who symbolizes youth and innocence

Mary Ann Bell

girlfriend of a soldier, who is flown into Vietnam and becomes a Green Beret and involved in ambush. She is so caught in the war that she disappears into the jungle. The Sweetheart of the Song Tra Bong

Mark Fossie

Soldier who, by story of Rat Kiley, flew his girlfriend to Vietnam for some comfort. Eventually loses her to the war because she becomes so obsessed with it

Linda

O'Brien's first love. Dies of a brain tumor. O'Brien's first experience with death