Tim O'Brien
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"Ambush"
"Ambush" by Tim O'Brien
Overview and activities, including class discussion questions.
Going After Cacciato
Reader's Companion to Going After Cacciato
Discussion questions to accompany the novel.
"How to Tell a True War Story"
Love of War in Tim O'Brien's "How to Tell a True War Story"
Students explore the relationship between love and war by examining texts on camaraderie among soldiers. After viewing a video on the topic and reading the short story "How to Tell a True War Story" by Tim O'Brien, students use freewriting as a means to develop a thesis statement stating their belief on the relationship between love and war. They then compose a visual collage depicting those beliefs.
If I Die in a Combat Zone
If I die in a Combat Zone
Fifteen discussion questions.
Northern Lights
Northern Lights
Discussion questions, brief biography.
The Things They Carried
Burke's Pentad and The Things They Carried
Prewriting questions.
Close Reading through Repetition
Students annotate and analyze a passage. The model uses an excerpt from The Things They Carried but will work with other passages, too.
Discussion Questions for The Things They Carried
Discusson questions designed for college students and organized by general area of interest.
How Tim O'Brien Became a Writer
Video of a 2010 PBS Newshour interview with O'Brien, who reflects on the war, the impact of memory. and his desire to write. The interview runs 4:31.
Looking Back at the Vietnam War with Author, Veteran Tim O'Brien
Video and transcript of a 2010 PBS Newshour interview with O'Brien. The interview runs 7:25.
Photoblogs Part 2: Classroom Use
If you want to incorporate a media component that focuses on characterization and/or point of view, this project will serve well. Scroll down for suggestions specifically related to The Things They Carried.
A Reading from The Things They Carried
Video of Tim O'Brien reading about the men imagining they are flying home. It runs 1:58.
Sixties Project: Poetry Archive
A collection of poems published in Viet Nam Generation Journal and by its sister press, Burning Cities.
Some Other World: an index to The Things They Carried
A student-produced, very thorough index to the novel.
The Things They Carried
Scroll down for extensive study guide questions.
The Things They Carried
A list of 15 book-club-style discussion questions.
The Things They Carried
Analysis and commentary.
The Things They Carried
This teacher blog discusses the Time magazine photoessay on things American soldiers carry (see link below). It also suggests character interviews as a postreading activity.
"The Things They Carry"
Time magazine presents a photoessay on items American soldiers carry in the Iraq war. At this link read a brief introduction, then follow the link to the photos.
Vocabulary from The Things They Carried
A list of 45 words drawn from the novel and presented with definitions.
War Literature: Final Projects
Two tech-integrated activities to conclude any unit on war literature. "Every Day Carry" asks students to consider what items they carry with them and why. "Single Sentence Animations" asks students to convey visually the emotional power of a single sentence from their reading.
War Literature: Images and Videos
Scroll down on this page to the link to a TED talk by Deborah Scranton, "The War Tapes," followed by 3 discussion questions. Scranton, a war documentarian, put hand-held video cameras in the hands of soldiers in Iraq.
We Were There: Letters From the Battle Front
The National Postal Museum presents letters, envelopes and commemorative stamps from the American Civil War, WW II, and Vietnam War "to engage students in historic analysis." Requires Adobe Reader or compatible application for access.
"Where Have You Gone, Charming Billy?"
Text of the story. Five pages; Adobe Reader required for access.
Writing about a Text
Seven writing topics.
Writing About Literature
This page offers several suggestions for writing about literature in general; scroll down a little to find 8 journal prompts related to The Things They Carried.
Writing Vietnam
Text of speech about writing war stories, some audio files, and a question-and-answer session.
Other Resources
Sound Learning Monthly Feature: American RadioWorks' "Revisiting Vietnam"
Lesson plan and a unit plan using audio clips and transcripts of interviews with Vietnam veterans.
Vietnam War
Follow links to a history, a glossary, pictures, and a timeline.
Viet Nam War Oral Histories
As part of a unit including The Things They Carried, students interviewed people who were affected by the war. Their oral histories are here.
