The Loss of Innocence in Vietnam "The Things They Carried" is a story about the Vietnam War, in the most straightforward terms simple. It focuses on a particular team of soldiers and their experiences during the war. O'Brien's writing is complex and has many layers. In the story, O'Brien lists the items the soldiers carry physically, a stark comparison to the items they carry mentally throughout the war. The author uses symbolism, metaphors, and imagery to show soldiers the loss of their innocence and the effects of war on an individual. One of the most significant events in history is the death of Ted Lavender. O'Brien mentions Lavender's death several times throughout the story. He uses the repetition of Lavender's death as a symbol of how the soldiers constantly carried the weight of the event within them. This particularly haunts Lieutenant Jimmy Cross, who feels personally responsible for what happened. In describing what Cross felt, O'Brien writes, "...it was something he should carry like a stone (O'Brien 420). This shows the weight of death not only on those who witness it, but on everyone. affected. Kiowa returns again and again to what he saw, telling the story several times. Later, Kiowa thinks about how he is "glad to be alive" and feels guilty for not feeling more sorrow for Lavender. (O'Brien 425) He says it was "not like the movies" showing the loss of another piece of innocence. (O'Brien 420) When Lavender dies, the other soldiers strip her body of "all heavy things." (O'Brien 420) The removal of heavy objects from Lavender's body is a metaphor. When you die, all your worries, stress and fears disappear. Throughout the story, O'Brien describes Lavender as scared, so when he dies, he no longer has to carry the weight of her fear. When they take away his ammunition and his canteen, the soldiers take away his material burdens and take them on.