The Things They Carried

If you were at war who would you want to look after you and your soldiers? A guy that's always imagining or a guy that that's focused on saving you and your men. The leader in the things they carried by Tim O'Brien is ineffective because he's a very emotional person and all he does is dream about the life him and Martha could have . Also he's too insecure for his position as the Lieutenant

The first reason why the Lieutenant in the They Carried is ineffective is that he's very emotional and in the military you're so supposed to be hard and tough . But instead he just sits around most of the time and daydreaming about how Martha Martha loves him . And the thoughts of him being her boyfriend . "At night sometimes Lieutenant cross wondered who had taken the pictures because he knew she had boyfriends because he loved her so much and he could see the shadow of the picture taker against the wall". This shows that the Lieutenant is more worried about how Martha feels and what's she's doing then about his men .

Another reason why the lieutenant is ineffective is that he's too insecure for his position. Because all he does is worry and dream about Martha . And as the lieutenant he's suppose to give orders an make sure everything is in check . But instead he sits around all day looking at the picture that he has of Martha and try's to put a meaning to the Love Martha parts of the her letters even tho he there's no meaning to them because he wants her to love him . "They were signed love Martha , but lieutenant cross understood that love was a way of signing and not meaning what he sometimes pretend it meant".

The last reason why the lieutenant is ineffective is that he's always dreaming about how him and Martha would take pictures together , go to the beach and watch her play volleyball and d just live this wonderful life with her .

Through chapter one of The Things They Carried . The author shows how the Lieutenant is ineffective by putting things that are way off of the mindset you're suppose to have in war like love and imagination. Rather then focusing on the responsibilities of his men