The Things They Carried was the second book I read for the SSR project and I loved it immediately. The book began by listing, in great detail, the gear that the soldiers carried and how much it weighed. This was a most unique introduction to a book because it was unlike anything I have ever read. It was more like textbook than anything else, listing things like " " while being very specific to what was mentioned and carried by certain individuals.
As the book progressed, there began short stories and small pieces. All of these were similar however only loosely connected. Later however these stories become longer and more different as well as becoming more connected. At first all these stories seemed random and irrelevant, although later it became apparent that they were artistically orchestrated to express several overarching themes. As soon as started making the connection, it became way more enjoyable to read. There were also several instances were a short scene would be repeated or retold to signify the importance of its meaning, specifically the story of when Curtess Lemon gets killed.
The Things They Carried ends with the telling of the death of a his classmate in fourth grade. She died of a brain tumor. The whole ending was really deep and filled with profound insight. I got more literary substance from this book than the whole Harry Potter series because the social commentary was so rich and it offered a new perspective on life.