Title

Author
Date started/Date completed
Pages Read
Rating of Book 1-10

The Things They Carried

Tim OBrien
Not completed
118
8

Describe a minor character/person in the book who had major importance. Explain.
One of the really unique minor characters in the book is Bob Rat Kiley. The reader is
introduced to him in the first chapter, but we dont really meet him until page 64, when the
author recounts the death of Rats best friend, Curt Lemon. After Curt dies, Rat writes a long
and heartfelt letter to his sister, explaining what a wonderful person Curt was and how much he
misses him. The sister never writes Rat back, breaking his heart for the second time.
Rat also tells a fascinating story about a young girl who comes to Vietnam to visit her boyfriend.
Blonde, young, and flighty, she is quickly seduced by Vietnam. By the end of the story, she has
become a wild savage and is living in the mountains of Vietnam with a necklace of human
tongues around her neck.
Rat has an air of innocence around him. He enjoys telling stories, but he often pauses to gauge
his comrades reactions and level of belief. He seems like the child of the group.

Authors Purpose: I think the authors purpose with Rat is to create a character that everyone
can relate to. Weve all had a friend like Rat, and I think that the author wanted us to think about
that innocent, nave friend thrown into a war atmosphere.
Intended Audience: Vietnam veterans, anyone who is uniformed about the war