TTTC Character Analysis

Albeez 1
Nurayda Albeez
Ms. Thomas
American Literature
24 April 2023
Be a Kathleen for Someone Else
The book The Things They Carried by Tim O’ Brien follows the journeys of a platoon’s
soldiers during the Vietnam War and afterwards. It emphasizes the harsh reality of war and how
soldiers often get “stuck” in wars by not being able to move on from their experiences and the
guilt they feel for some of their actions. In the book, the narrator and author Tim isn’t as “stuck”
as his fellow platoon members because he is a writer and writing gives him an outlet to share his
stories and emotions. To add on, Tim is a father and his daughter Kathleen helps him take his
mind off the war. She is a curious, straightforward girl who knows very little about the Vietnam
War. The role of Kathleen is to keep Tim grounded in the real world and ask him questions that
allow readers to better understand Tim and how the war has impacted him.
One way Kathleen keeps Tim grounded in the real world is by reminding him that things apart
from the war exist. For instance, when Tim is briefly discussing many of his war stories ranging
from Azar giving a chocolate bar to a young amputee to Kiowa sinking into a mud field, he
brings up Kathleen and states, “My daughter Kathleen tells me it's an obsession, that I should
write about a little girl who finds a million dollars and spends it all on a Shetland pony. In a way,
I guess, she's right: I should forget it” (O’Brien 22). In this quote, Kathleen serves as an external
force that temporarily changes the topic of the chapter away from the war and causes Tim to
Albeez 2
rethink his obsession with writing war stories. By focusing on a subject other than the Vietnam
War, Kathleen keeps Tim grounded in the real world.
Another way Kathleen keeps Tim grounded in the real world is by preventing him from
getting “stuck” in the war. This can be seen when Tim goes to Vietnam with Kathleen twenty
years after the war to visit the field where Kiowa died. After Tim has been looking at the field
for a long time, Kathleen goes over to him and starts a conversation:
“I think this place stinks. It smells like . . . God, I don't even know what. It smells rotten.”
“It sure does. I know that.”
“So when can we go?”
“Pretty soon,” I said (O’Brien 116).
This quote is important because Tim could have been “stuck” looking at the field, indifferent to
the horrid smell, for an unreasonable amount of time if Kathleen hadn’t been there to prompt him
about leaving. In this case, she again serves as the external force unrelated to the Vietnam War
who keeps Tim grounded in the real world.
One type of question Kathleen asks Tim to allow readers to better understand him and how
the war has impacted him is a question that readers may be wondering. O’Brien characterizes
Kathleen as an individual who is uninformed about the war so that she can serve as a liaison
between readers and O’Brien. This role is visible when she asks O’Brien what the war was
about:
"This whole war," she said, "why was everybody so mad at everybody else?"
I shook my head. "They weren't mad, exactly. Some people wanted one thing, other
Albeez 3
people wanted another thing" (O’Brien 116).
The interview-like question in this quote displays Tim’s perspective on the war. He didn’t see
enmity among soldiers, just a difference in viewpoint. An additional example of Kathleen
pointing something out that readers may be thinking about occurs during her trip to Vietnam with
Tim:
Kathleen put her hand on my shoulder and said, "You know something? Sometimes
you're pretty weird, aren't you?"
"Well, no," I said.
"You are too." She pulled her hand away and frowned at me. "Like coming over here.
Some dumb thing happens a long time ago and you can't ever forget it" (O’Brien 117).
Kathleen’s frank nature really comes out in this quote to provide insight on O’Brien. Although
the world may see him as weird for being “stuck” in a war that happened decades ago, Tim
doesn’t see himself as weird. If anything, he sees the world as weird for not knowing about the
brutalities of war. These examples highlight how Kathleen asks Tim questions readers may be
wondering so that they can better understand Tim and how the Vietnam War has impacted him.
Another type of question Kathleen asks Tim to allow readers to better understand him and
how the war has impacted him is a question that helps readers visualize a situation. This can be
seen when Kathleen voices her concerns about Tim attempting to swim in the exact spot in the
river where he believes Kiowa drowned:
"Listen, this is stupid," she said, "you can't even hardly get wet. How can you swim out
there?"
"I'll manage."
Albeez 4
"But it's not ... I mean, God, it's not even water, it's like mush or something" (O’Brien
119).
This quote is important because it allows readers to visualize the river and therefore comprehend
the absurdity of Tim’s actions. Without Kathleen’s interference, readers would not be able to
realize that the river is more like a brook and that Tim’s emotions are guiding his behavior, not
his logic. As a result, this question helps readers visualize the situation so that they can better
understand Tim and how the Vietnam War has impacted him.
The book The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien is a work of fiction despite the fact that
its characters are real people. In truth, Tim O’Brien doesn’t have a daughter named Kathleen
even though he does in the book. However, this doesn’t mean that Kathleen’s role in the book
isn’t crucial. She keeps Tim grounded in the real world and asks him questions that allow readers
to better understand Tim and how the war has impacted him. Outside of the book, Kathleen
symbolizes the external force every soldier needs to not be “stuck” and get past their traumatic
war experiences as well as their feelings of guilt and shame. Just like war can be physically and
mentally harmful to soldiers, everyone is experiencing their own wars and needs an ally like
Kathleen. Providing life-changing support is a privilege and something we should all try to do by
being a Kathleen for someone else.

Albeez 5
Works Cited
O'Brien, Tim. The Things They Carried: A Work of Fiction. Boston, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt,
2010.

TTTC Character Analysis

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

TTTC Character Analysis

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

TTTC Character Analysis

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Albeez 1

Be a Kathleen for Someone Else

War, Kathleen keeps Tim grounded in the real world.

“It sure does. I know that.”

“So when can we go?”

“Pretty soon,” I said (O’Brien 116).

who keeps Tim grounded in the real world.

people wanted another thing" (O’Brien 116).

enmity among soldiers, just a difference in viewpoint. An additional example of Kathleen

you're pretty weird, aren't you?"

"Well, no," I said.

river where he believes Kiowa drowned:

being a Kathleen for someone else.

You might also like