1 Examine the titles of these two chapters. Chapter 2 “Love” & Chapter 3 “Spin” How do the titles connect to the content?
2These two chapters provide time shifts. We see Jimmy Cross and O’Brien not as young soldiers but now as older men reflecting on their experiences. What is the effect of this time shift?
3 How has the Vietnam War still stuck with Jimmy Cross and Tim O’Brien?
4 In “Spin,” O’Brien details the inhumane actions of some of the soldiers. What are some of these actions? What might O’Brien’s purpose be in detailing these events?
5How does O’Brien dispel some romantic views of war in these two chapters?
6 Examine each character. How do they differ? In what ways do they adapt to or try to cope with their situations? Some to consider: Azar, Ted Lavender, Kiowa, Jimmy Cross.
7 Examine tone. What is O’Brien’s tone when reflecting on the war in “Love” and detailing the soldiers’ burdens in “The Things They Carried”? How might these different tones connect to O’Brien’s purpose in each of these chapters?

8O’Brien includes episodes where the war wasn’t always the “bad stuff.” What purpose does O’Brien’s outlining of more humorous or lighthearted events serve?
9 O’Brien devotes time to examining how his memory functions when thinking back on the war. Review his descriptions of memory. Should we doubt his recollections?
10 What is the function of stories according to O’Brien?

11 How does chapter 1 “The Things They Carried,” chapter 2 “Love,” and chapter 3 “Spin” connect and offer different layers and angles to the story?