During times of war, man is exposed to the most gruesome aspects of life such as death, starvation and imprisonment. In some cases, the consequences are even more dire, causing PTSD, constant guilt, as well as physical and mental scarring, but these hardships are not the only things humans can take away from this experience. War can bring out an appreciation for the little things in life, such as the safety that people take for granted, the beauty of nature, and the kindness of others. All of these universal consequences of fighting contribute to what war is actually capable of doing, sometimes bringing out the best and the worst in people and constantly shaping society. In The Things They Carried, Tim O'Brien addresses all of this when he writes about setting up base camp in the Vietnamese pagoda, returning to the site of Kiowa's death, the story of the old guide Stern-san, and Mitchell Sanders' "moment of peace" ” When O'Brien includes these stories, it is not to insert joy into a tragedy, but rather to create a more wholesome and authentic atmosphere in a tough and realistic war story to show the hope he had during the war, and also serve as a universal example that even in the darkest tunnels it is always possible to find rays of light. Setting up the base camp in the church is included in O'Brien's memoirs to remember the calm and human kindness found during the war. Staying in the peaceful church provided the platoon with the opportunity to see a unique and personal side of Vietnam, one where people “…brought us buckets of water (O'Brien, 119)” and “... they were very kind to all of us... (O'Brien, 120)”. This story highlights some of the less definitive qualities... middle of paper... his "sweet" side in the bitterest moments, writing about his personal experiences of discovering human kindness during the Vietnam War. The deepest moral of the novel is hope. It tries to send the message that people will be able to endure anything if they can find hope. When the shock of Kiowa's death rocked O'Brien, he found hope that things would get better and recovered to later honor his friend by writing and releasing his spirit. When Mitchell Sanders was stuck in hell, he takes a second to notice how perfect nature was, despite the ongoing war, and realizes that nature and life will never cease to exist and uses it to motivate himself. This revelation and positivity of all possible joyful moments during the war makes this story relatable to any "real world" person who had to endure heartache and suffering..