Blog # 4 - Criticism

In the story "The Things They Carried" there was many signs of psychological criticism. The whole conflict of these men being and fighting this war has got to their heads and it was not good for their being. These men were scared and paranoid and just did not want to be there. Psychological criticism first came into play when Ted Lavender had died. Ted was so paranoid about dying on the battlefield that he would do drugs and inject himself with tranquilizers just so he was able to calm himself down. The ironic thing was that he tried so hard to not die on the battlefield, that he was actually killed away from the fighting because he was shot in the head by an enemy while he was going to the restroom or a spot where he could use as a restroom. With this event happening Jimmy Cross state of mind changed. Once a young man in love with a girl back home named Martha, his judgment was clouded because she was a sign of hope and freedom for which he believed was waiting for him to a man that became the Lieutenant that put all his friendships behind and acted like the boss. He could not lose anymore mean and his guilt was deeply within him because he knew he was not focused enough and was not fighting for his men which he was meant to be doing in the first place. Due to the fact that this death hit him psychologically he became the man that was meant to run that position.