The Things They Carried Lesson Plan

How does O'Brien's description of his job in “On The Rainy River” contrast with his reasons that he would be an inadequate soldier? What does this say about his character?

Explore the detail O'Brien goes into about his gruesome job at the meat processing plant. Students may observe how he sounds like someone perfectly ready for dealing with blood and death—that he even uses the word gun. This stands in stark contrast to his excuses that he would never be able to carry out such things in war. Clearly, this is the sign of a man who is afraid to do something he feels he is actually capable of doing. Some students may believe that taking the job at the processing plant after...