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Ted Lavender Character Analysis

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The Things They Carried is a novel written by Tim O' Brian that follows a platoon of U.S soldiers in the Vietnam War. These soldiers made their arduous journey through Vietnam's wilds by foot, burdened by over 50 pounds per person of standard gear, specialized gear, and personal items. Considering their already immense load, the personal items these men willingly carried held immense value to them. One soldier in particular, a grunt by the name of Ted Lavender, carried “6 or 7 ounces of premium dope,” tranquilizers, his “star-light scope, ” which was a night vision device, and a significant amount of extra ammunition, (2, 3, 6, 9). The items Ted Lavender carried served him by providing him with comfort and easing his anxiety, while often

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