evolve around themselves, instead of the Vietnamese. While also criticizing Americans, he manages to once again question the necessity of United States involvement in the war. Also connotatively enhancing the antiwar theme is the word bodies to describe draftees; while an accurate evaluation scientifically, it gives the reader the impression that the young men that are being brought into the war to become statistics, part of a body count. O'Brien shows very effectively the massive destruction of innocent human life brought on by Vietnam. In contrast with his sympathy toward draftees, O'Brien utilizes informal, derogatory diction to describe the war's advocates. He labels his stereotype belligerent a "dumb jingo"(44), or moronic national pride enthusiast. By phrasing his views in such a manner, O'Brien is able to convey the idea that there is enough opposition to the war that a negative slang has been implemented frequently, hence the term dumb jingo. The skill with which O'Brien illustrates his views is very convincing throughout their development in the novel; his antibelligerence focus is very effective.The social deviance that has become the accepted norm in The Things They Carried is brought out by O'Brien in the form of the soldiers' drug usage. O'Brien wants to convey the idea of negative transitions brought about by the war with a statement about marijuana's public, widespread, carefree use in Vietnam. He includes several anecdotes that illustrate to which degree the substance is abused. A friend of O'Brien's, Ted Lavender, "carried six or seven ounces of premium dope"(4), which indicates not only the soldiers' familiarity with the drug, but their acquired knowledge of the quality of the drug. The discouragement of marijuana, as well as other drugs, was previously the accepted view of Americans; however, according to O'Brien, is has become the norm for Americans in Vietnam. The war has completely reversed their morals. Once they ...
