responsibility has on those who are too immature to handle it. Cross’s guilt is palpable every time one of his men dies, the letters from Martha so that her presence will no longer distract Our summaries and analyses are written by experts, and your questions are answered by real teachers. In this story there are the real soldiers who carry weapons and go on the missions. the thoughts of his coveted classmate, Martha, who sends him photographs OBrien marvels at the wreckage of his body, thinking repeatedly of the star-shaped hole that is in the place of h… linked to Christ not only on a superficial level—they share initials He kept that pebble in his mouth, tasting the flavor of salt water and moisture. He didn't take the usual precautions when the men stopped for a break. After Ted's death, Jimmy decides he must take even more responsibility for his men's lives onto his own shoulders. Its presence distracts him from his soldierly duties. The sadness has to do with a \"secret\" that Martha keeps, possibly that she has been raped. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one: ). Jimmy Cross can be viewed as a Christ figure. The pebble has a powerful significance in the life of Lt. Jimmy Cross. This association is appropriate in some ways and ironic in others, as I'll explain. The item that Jimmy Cross carries with him are pictures of his classmate named Martha. Educators go through a rigorous application process, and every answer they submit is reviewed by our in-house editorial team. Cross is The initials, J.C., are the same as Jesus Christ's, as for he was a very religious man.The last name of "Cross" is a an blatenly obvious yet easily overlooked symbol to the cross Jesus carried. . Martha wrote that the pebble symbolized her feelings toward him, since she found it on the shore, right where things come together and also separate. In The Things They Carried, what is Jimmy Cross like? confession to O’Brien, years later, that he has never forgiven himself Young and inexperienced, Lieutenant Jimmy Cross leads Alpha Company in Vietnam in The Things They Carried. He carries the weight of the world on his back. The pebble in The Things They Carried symbolizes Martha, a woman who would never love Lt. Cross the same way he loved her, a complex relationship, and an undying symbol of love and affection that can never be destroyed. and writes flowery letters that never mention the war. The pebble in The Things They Carried symbolizes Martha, a woman who would never love Lt. Cross the same way he loved her, a complex relationship, and an undying symbol of love and affection that can never be destroyed. They spend a full day looking at old photographs and talking, recalling both good and bad memories of the war. mourn. Martha’s picture can represent Cross’s escape to his life before the war, and his hopeful thoughts for after the war. He would accept the... (The entire section contains 3 answers and 685 words.). While posted in Canada, Cross was kidnapped by Front de libération du Québec (FLQ) terrorists during the October Crisis of October 1970. are doing it. She sent him letters in the war and a pebble for good luck. He has to take the responsibility of his troops and also feels the most guilt; such as when Ted Lavender and Kiowa died. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Cross suffers for the sake of the entire platoon. and are both connected to the idea of the cross—but also in the Jimmy Corss's name is symbolic in a few different ways. Holly16 on Wed May 04, 2011 10:12 pm. She always holds herself distant, physically and emotionally. what does jimmy cross’s cherished pebble stand for in “the things they carried” There are many symbols evident in Tim O’Brien’s “The Things They Carried” .Basically; the symbols have been largely utilized as essential approaches to understand the soldiers involved in the Vietnam War and their lives during the whole period. Martha is a character in The Things They Carried who only appears in the memories of First Lieutenant Jimmy Cross. what does jimmy cross carry and what does that represent love for martha, letters from martha, 2 pics of martha, compass, maps, code books, binoculars, .45 caliber pistol, strobe light, responsibility of his men, good luck pebble. This is t… of a group’s or their own savior. Right before Lavender nature of his role. Cross's most treasured possessions are letters from Martha and photographs of her, which he keeps wrapped in plastic in his rucksack. being crippled by grief and guilt. The name Jimmy Cross is more than just a name. Jimmy Cross doesn’t want anything to do with the war or anything to do with being a leader. The Things They Carried and American War Novels. In Tim O'Brien's "The Things They Carried," who was Elroy Berdhal, and how did O'Brien come to know him? Jimmy Crosss character represents the profound effects responsibility has on those who are too immature to handle it. Martha represents Cross' hopes and dreams. Martha is a few years younger than Jimmy Cross, does not love the soldier back but writes him letters and sends him mementos anyway. Jimmy Cross eventually became a real commander of the company at the end of the story. She is a poet and dreamer and university student who loves the work of Virginia Woolf. Pebble : Jimmy Cross carries the pebble, which he received from Martha, under his tongue. But he doesn’t care about the war and has no desire The three main symbols for Jimmy were the letters, the photographs, and the pebble from Martha. Tags: Question 9 . Corps because it is worth a few credits and because his friends He secretly hoped Lavender would die. He is absolutely …show more content… fellow men—Norman Bowker and Kiowa, in this case—can carry on without In the same story, he makes a personal sacrifice, burning When Ted Lavender is killed by a sniper, Jimmy blames himself, seeing his obsession with Martha, a girl back home, as a distraction that diverted his attention from his men. Because of this decision, he is placed in a position of leadership in Vietnam. Jimmy is also a variant of Jim (Hebrew). ©2021 eNotes.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved. His innocent For example: Lieutenant Jimmy Cross, carried letters from a girl named Martha. Jimmy Cross could be seen as a Christ figure because he serves in a leadership role and takes on the responsibility of his men's lives, as Christ took on the burden of the cross (his sacrifice representing the eternal lives of all believers). Cross is a young soldier, drafted like many others, and committed to the war effort and getting his men out alive. O'Brien emphasizes that … They went on a single date in college. The love interest of Lieutenant Jimmy Cross. Use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. . He asked Lavender to go check something for him. Lt. Jimmy Cross's last name (Cross) and his initials (J.C.) have led some readers to associate him with Jesus Christ. Log in here. What is his character? reverie is interrupted by Lavender’s death, and Cross’s only conclusion a sophomore in college, he signs up for the Reserve Officers Training several men in his charge, he is unsure in everything he does. Jimmy Cross also carries the picture of Martha, and the “lucky” pebble from the woman who does not return the love or talk of the war in their exchange of letters. Jimmy Cross carried a selection of items from Martha, a girl he was in love with. members of his troop, such as Kiowa, who are too dumbfounded to Â. Jimmy Cross’s character represents the profound effects We’ll cover the most important scenes involving Lieutenant Jimmy Cross in The Things They Carried. 131-170). After Vietnam, they see each other again at a college reunion. Who are the experts?Our certified Educators are real professors, teachers, and scholars who use their academic expertise to tackle your toughest questions. The collection and the first story share a title, "The Things They Carried," that points to the importance of what the men carry during the war and afterward, when some of the soldiers find that they cannot lay down the burdens of war. for Lavender’s death testifies to his intense feelings of guilt As a result, when he is led into battle with several men in his charge, he is unsure in everything he does. As an undergraduate, Cross had signed up for Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) as a way to pick up a few extra credits in college. The first being: he is a symbol of christ, even his initials are the same. Lt. Jimmy Cross is obsessed by memories of Martha, who writes him letters but is not exactly his sweetheart. but it is most acute in the case of Ted Lavender. Character "Tim O'Brien," a middle-aged writer, recalls when, many years after the war, Lt. Jimmy Cross visits him at his home. him. The letters mean a lot to the Lieutenant, because they symbolize his love for her. Cross is in love with Martha, and he clings to his love to help him get through the war. Â. In times He was ultimately released almost two months later, and subsequently returned to the United Kingdom. Importantly, as he thinks about Martha, he does not merely recall memories of her; instead he imagines what might be, such as "romantic camping trips" into the White Mountains in New Hampshire. This association is appropriate in some ways and ironic in others, as I'll explain. Such men suffer so that others In The Man I Killed, OBrien distances himself from the memory by speaking in the third person and constructing fantasies as to what the man must have been like before he was killed. He burns the remnants of his relationship with Martha, which could be seen as a sacrifice. For example, as Lt. Cross moves through the rigorous daily motions of combat duty, his mind dwells on Martha. This is physically the closest he ever gets to her, although he dreams about her the whole time he is in Vietnam, and possibly it is his laxity that gets Lavender killed. Jimmy is an alternate form of James (Hebrew): from Late Latin Iacomus. The first is Lieutenant Jimmy Cross, whose main focus during the chapter is on his love interest back home, Martha. Nonetheless, Jimmy Cross is ill-equipped to lead. Start studying The Things They Carried Study Guide #5 (pg. He was daydreaming about Martha when it occured. Its presence distracts him from his soldierly duties. Tweed is an appropriate fabric for Martha, who was always very proper. First Lieutenant Jimmy Cross is the commanding officer in charge of Alpha Company, a unit of the U.S. Army in the Vietnam War, in The Things They Carried. The The Things They Carried quotes below are all either spoken by Lieutenant Jimmy Cross or refer to Lieutenant Jimmy Cross. "O'Brien" asks Jimmy about Martha. to be a team leader. Lieutenant Jimmy Cross is the main character of the title story. Like Christ, who suffers for his fellow men, What does Martha represent to Cross in "The Things They Carried"? Start your 48-hour free trial to unlock this answer and thousands more. Weâve discounted annual subscriptions by 50% for COVID-19 reliefâJoin Now! is killed, Cross allows himself to be distracted and deluded by Cross is a reluctant leader and often feels guilty for the deaths of his men. You can't help but feel a little sorry for Jimmy Cross. J immy as a boys' name is of Hebrew derivation, and the meaning of Jimmy is "he who supplants". Jimmy is "determined to perform his duties firmly and without negligence . ASSOCIATED WITH supplants (victory) Variations . First Lieutenant Jimmy Cross. Lt. Jimmy Cross's last name (Cross) and his initials (J.C.) have led some readers to associate him with Jesus Christ. As a sophomore in college, he signs up for the Reserve Officers Training Corps because it is worth a few credits and because his friends are doing it. The pictures of Martha symbolizes many things for Jimmy Cross. What are some rhetorical strategies or literary techniques that Tim O'Brien uses in paragraph 64 of the "On the Rainy River" chapter of his book... What is symbolic about the things they carried as individuals in The Things They Carried? In “The Things Martha’s picture can represent Cross’s escape to his life before the war, and his hopeful thoughts for after the war. B.A. The character of Jimmy Cross is emotional and determined. They Carried,” Cross bears the grief of Lavender’s death for the In each case, Cross makes a Christ-like sacrifice so that his eNotes.com will help you with any book or any question. Only Lieutenant Jimmy Cross and the young soldier were still searching the field. from University of Oxford Ph.D. from University of Leicester, Top subjects are Literature, History, and Law and Politics, Top subjects are Literature, Social Sciences, and History, Latest answer posted October 26, 2018 at 4:31:57 AM, Latest answer posted May 21, 2020 at 2:59:24 PM, Latest answer posted March 11, 2012 at 2:20:33 AM, Latest answer posted September 15, 2017 at 9:35:58 PM, Latest answer posted December 29, 2018 at 5:03:47 PM. He also perceived that difference between reality and the ideal, which for him was Martha. . Who were the greenies and what were they like? James Richard Cross CMG (29 September 1921 – 6 January 2021) was an Irish-born British diplomat who served in India, Malaysia and Canada. In the novel "The Things They Carried," what does Martha stand for or symbolize?Â, Comment on the conflict of Jimmy Cross in "The Things They Carried." But he doesnt care about the war and has no desire to be a team leader. He is not emotionally or patriotically committed, instead simply seeing the war as his assigned job to … Cross’s What does Jimmy mean? They represented what his life could have been if not for the war, his feelings for Martha, and the home he left behind in America . . Different statements or actions by a person can quickly trigger an emotional response by Jimmy. is that he loves this faraway girl more than he loves his men. Jimmy Cross also carries the picture of Martha, and the “lucky” pebble from the woman who does not return the love or talk of the war in their exchange of letters. The conflict first presents itself though the letters from her that he is reading. Already a member? . She gives him a sense of escape. Enjoy eNotes ad-free and cancel anytime. He would be careful . shows he loves and misses martha and he is a leader She never marries and spends her time during and after the war abroad, working as a nurse. In one of the letters, Martha sends, the Lieutenant a pebble she had found in a beach in Jersey. don’t have to bear the brunt of the guilt and confusion. The pebble has a powerful significance in the life of Lt. Jimmy Cross. O'Brien uses symbolism throughout the book to convey truths about both the profound and the mundane experiences of war. As a result, when he is led into battle with about the incident. And he also carries the weight of all of his men. It has caused him happiness and grief. answer choices . Top subjects are Literature, Arts, and Law and Politics. We’ll cover the spectral presence of Martha in The Things They Carried and look at how this character impacts the events of the book. Why does Jimmy Cross feel responsible for Ted Lavender's death? from University of Oxford M.A. of inexplicable atrocity, certain individuals assume the position Although OBrien is unclear about whether or not he actually threw a grenade and killed a man outside My Khe, his memory of the mans corpse is strong and recurring, symbolizing humanitys guilt over wars horrible acts. What Must Be Carried. Is The Things They Carried fiction or memoir? "What we should do, I guess," Norman Bowker said, "is tell the LT." Mitchell Sanders shook his head. Source (s) Gradesaver. As An example of this can be seen when Tim showed Jimmy a snapshot of Ted Lavender, who had been killed in action under Jimmy’s care. He would dispose of his good-luck pebble . 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