The Things They Carried Group

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chelsea215
chelsea215
Student
Community / Jr. College

In "The Things They Carried", why does O'Brien relate his experience as a pig declotter?

 

 

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Posted by chelsea215 on Saturday February 14, 2009 at 7:09 AM and tagged with pig declotter, the things they carried.

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  1. mr-robitaille
    mr-robitaille Teacher
    High School - 12th Grade

    For one thing, O'Brien describes his job as a pig declotter in the most gory manner possible. This is because he wants the reader to know why he does not want to go to Vietnam. It is not because he is afraid of blood. Blood is something he works with every day. Also, because of his summer job, he comes home every day smelling like a pig. Therefore, his reason for not wanting to go to the war is also not because he is afraid to get his hands dirty, despite the fact that he has described himself as a scholar. This helps to drive home the point that he wants to stay out of the war because of his principles, which is really the point of this chapter.

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/things-they

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    Posted by mr-robitaille on Wednesday March 18, 2009 at 11:56 AM