The Weight of Symbolism in “The Things They Carried”

Tim O’Brien’s short story “The Things They Carried” 
Explore the following prompt in 3 pages, citing at least twice from the story and once from an outside source ( ABSOLUTELY NO BOOKS ONLY PROFESSIONAL ARTICLES) in your answer. Include a literal summary and a correctly formatted MLA Works Cited page. Be sure to review the attached grading rubric! 
How does the title of the story relay the main dilemma of the soldiers? In what ways are these items symbolic of their individuality and rank? In what ways do they symbolize their larger struggle in the story? What is the meaning behind Lt. Cross burning Martha’s letters? In what ways is this a troublesome outcome? Explain. 
Rubric 
5 pts. for general MLA formatting (heading; pagination; title; margins; double-spacing)
5 pts. for Works Cited page (use correct hanging margins; include an entry for the story; include an entry for an outside source).
5 pts. for correct use of in-text citations, NO FREESTANDING QUOTES
5 pts. for 2 meaningful citations from the story and 1 citation from a reputable outside source.
5 pts. for a clear literal summary of the story including the title and author’s name.
5 pts. for a thoughtful and well-developed answer to the question in the assigned length.