Question 38
NECO
•
2025
•
LITERATURE_IN_ENGLISH
•
objective
Consider this passage from Tim O'Brien's The Things They Carried: ‘He carried the heavy rifle, its cold metal a reminder of the war, and the weight of his own fear that no one could see.' Identify the central theme illustrated by the passage and support your answer with two specific references from the text.
Answer Options
Correct Answer
A.
The passage illustrates the theme that war imposes both physical and psychological burdens on soldiers; this is shown by the rifle as a tangible load and the hidden fear as an emotional load, echoed later by the list of items each soldier carries and the discussion of nightmares and guilt.
B.
The passage illustrates the theme of heroic bravery, emphasizing how the soldier's rifle symbolizes courage and the fear he feels is a sign of his willingness to confront danger, as reflected later when the men boast about their combat achievements.
C.
The passage illustrates the theme of the futility of war, portraying the rifle as a pointless burden and the concealed fear as evidence that the conflict serves no purpose, a notion that recurs when the narrative describes the endless cycles of fighting without resolution.
D.
The passage illustrates the theme of camaraderie, suggesting that the rifle represents a shared bond among the troops and the hidden fear indicates the group's collective anxiety, which is reinforced by later scenes of soldiers supporting each other during patrols.
Correct Answer
A
Correct Option:
The passage illustrates the theme that war imposes both physical and psychological burdens on soldiers; this is shown by the rifle as a tangible load and the hidden fear as an emotional load, echoed later by the list of items each soldier carries and the discussion of nightmares and guilt.
About This Question
This is
Neco
2025
Literature In English
Question 38.
It is one of the
objective
questions from the
2025
Neco
Literature In English
examination.
Difficulty level:
Medium
.