The Heroes of The Things They Carried by Tim O'BrienThe word "hero" is often used to describe people who overcome great odds and accept the challenge placed before them them without even considering the overwhelming odds they face. In our culture, heroes are glorified in literature and media in various shapes and forms. However, I believe that many of our society's greatest heroes never receive the credit they deserve, much less fame or publicity. I believe a hero is simply someone who stands up for what they believe in. A person doesn't have to rush into a burning building and save someone's life to be a hero. Someone who is a true friend can be a hero. A hero is someone who makes a difference in the lives of others simply by their presence. In Tim O'Brien's novel, The Things They Carried, the true heroes stand out in my mind as those who were true friends and fought for what they believed in. These men and women faced the atrocities of war on a daily basis, as explained in critic David R. Jarraway's essay, "'Excremental Assault' in Tim O'Brien: Trauma and Recovery in Vietnam War Literature" and Vietnam veteran Jim Carter. Yet these characters became heroes not by taking drastic measures to do something that drew attention to themselves, but by being true to their beliefs and making a difference to the people around them. One of the most striking examples of a hero in O'Brien's novel is the character Elroy Berdahl in the story "On the Rainy River". Berdahl runs the Tip Top Lodge near the Canadian border and takes O'Brien in at a time in his life when he feels he has nowhere and no one to turn to. Berdahl does not question O'Brien or try to persuade him... middle of paper... SAP.King, Rosemary. "O'Brien's 'How to Tell a True War Story'." The Explicator. 57.3 (1999): 182. Expanded Academic ASAP.Lopez, Ken. "Tim O'Brien: An Introduction to His Writing." Ken Lopez - Bookseller. 1997. 8 Oct 1999. Passaro, Vince. “The Things They Carried (review).” Harper's Magazine. 299.1791 (1999): 80. Academic expanded soon.Robinson, Daniel. “Doing It Right: The Short Story of Tim O'Brien.” Studies in contemporary narrative. 40.3 (1999): 257. Extended Academic ASAP. The student may want to begin the article with the following quote: Ah, to a young man everything seems beautiful and noble if he falls in war, torn to pieces under a sharp bronze blade, lies there dead. . .but whatever death lays bare, all wounds are signs of glory. (Homer 22.83-87)