The Things They Carried, in its entirety or in excerpts, serves as a springboard text to discuss the complexities of the Vietnam War and war in general with its honest and at times graphic portrayals of death, trauma, and grief. However, the book’s larger questions…

Students may desire to process The Things They Carried by learning from veterans in their own communities. Teachers can utilize personal or familial connections or reach out to their local American Legion, Disabled American Veterans, Vietnam Veterans or other local chapters and invite veterans to…