In The Things They Carried , the characters themselves probably could not tell you why they carried many of the things they did. The things they carried can be divided into three basic groups, the things that everyone had to carry in order to survive, the things that individuals chose to carry, and the mental burdens that many carried without choice. The necessities that the men were forced to carry were, for example, P- 38 can openers, pocket knives, matches, C-rations, water, a nylon covered flak jacket, an M-16 assault rifle, and for Hen ....