The Things They Carried opens with First Lieutenant Jimmy Cross imagining a camping trip to New Hampshire with dream-girl Martha. The collection closes with O'Brien imagining Linda, his late childhood friend, returning to life. O'Brien takes story to a new level, imbuing it with almost supernatural powers, an idea expanded on in his later novel In the Lake of the Woods. The concept of truth and story is a constant theme. Spin, How to Tell a True War Story and Notes in particular present the idea that true stories are a blend of truth and fiction if that fiction promotes the essence of the moment lived.
Stories can be a salvation and also a curse.
Imagination easily takes wrong turns, leading the soldiers to have morbid thoughts. Clearly, war alters minds. Instances of behaving abnormally, oddly and finally going mad are many. Lieutenant Cross is consumed by guilt, O'Brien plots revenge against neglectful Dr Jorgenson, Rat Kiley is convinced mutant bugs are out to get him. In Enemies, Dave Jensen is hounded by the fear that Lee Strunk will get even with him for his brutal attack.