The Importance of Friendship in the Things They Wore by Tim O'BrienThe Things They Wore is a collection of stories about the Vietnam War that the author, Tim O' Brien, uses to convey his experiences and feelings about the war. The book is filled with stories about the men of Alpha Company and their lives in Vietnam and then the United States. O'Brien captivates the reader with graphic descriptions of the war that make them feel like they are in Vietnam. The characters are unique and the reader feels sadness and compassion for them from the end of the novel. For O'Brien, the novel is not only a compilation of stories, but also a release from the fears, sadness and anger he felt because of the Vietnam War. One of the important concepts in The Things They Carried is the importance of certain objects or feelings used by the soldiers of Alpha Company to survive the war. Some examples of these items are the photo of the girl carried by Jimmy Cross, the Bible carried by Kiowa, and the stockings worn by Henry Dobbins. All of these items helped the soldier concerned survive from day to day and continue to fight the war. The friendship between them is one of the most important things that helped the soldiers. This bond the soldiers formed helped them survive, excluded anyone outside their group, and helped the men of Alpha Company cope with the war after returning to the United States...