In The Things They Carried, by Tim OBrien, we have a story of war that reflects on the emotional and the physical weight of combat through the devastating effects of the Vietnam War.  Lieutenant Cross and the soldiers of Alpha Platoon carry both necessary and non-necessary materials for war, emotions, and feelings, such as those of shame, guilt, love, terror, responsibility, humanity, and inhumanity.
The emotional and physical burdens (things they carried) are both figurative and literal. Both are overwhelming to the soldiers.
In the stories weve read so far, use the following as your thesis statement, write a 3 page 5 paragraph essay that supports it, and use at least 3 direct quotes for support. Make sure to use correct MLA.
Thesis:  The burdens that Lieutenant Cross and the soldiers of Alpha Platoon carry are both physical and emotional; they symbolize the devastating and horrible effects of war.