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In Tim O'Brian's "The Things They Carried," Lieutenant Jimmy Cross's obsession with Martha causes the death of Ted Lavender, an officer under his charge. The Lieutenant's mind was constantly distracted from the war by his thoughts of Martha. Jimmy has an obsession with her; he wants to know everything that goes on with her, and even around her. The Lieutenant has deep desires for her, but he pictures her the way her wants her to be. Daydreaming about Martha, instead of watching his surroundings, is what causes Ted Lavender to be killed.
The main problem with Jimmy's affection for Martha is that it is more an obsession. The number of daydreams which Jimmy has about Martha shows how much he thinks about her. Jimmy obsesses about what's going on around her. After Cross receives the pebble and reads the letter, "he wondered who had been with her that afternoon [….] It was phantom jealousy, he knew, but he couldn't help himself. He loved her that much" (68). "[A]t full......

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Approximate Pages: 3 (250 words per double-spaced page)

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