“Where Have You Gone, Charming Billy” Tim O’Brien

Characterization Direct Characterization – the writer tells us what the character is like Indirect Characterization – the reader puts together clues about what the character is like

Static Characters – characters that do not change Dynamic Characters – characters that change Round Characters – characters that are developed fully Flat Characters – characters not fully developed

Historical Context The social, cultural, and political issues of the time and place in which the story is set

Vietnam: the historical context French began military campaigns in Vietnam in the mid 19th century 1941 Ho Chi Mihn started a resistance movement 1945, Japan took control French tried to regain control and the Indochina War broke out US supported the French

North vs. South Vietnam Ho Chi Mihn controlled the North Ngo Dihn Diem controlled the South Elections held to unify-Diem blocked them US supported Diem to resist Communism

WAR North Vietnamese attack US ship President Johnson authorized troops to Vietnam in 1965 to fight North Vietnamese Army (NVA) and South Vietnamese guerrillas (Viet Cong)

Troops 16,000 initial troops 500,000 at peak At withdrawal in 1973, 57,605 Americans had died 303,700 wounded Many Vietnamese civilians killed

Guerrilla Warfare US soldiers trained for traditional combat Viet Cong took advantage of jungle landscape Planted traps such as bamboo stakes in the jungle Tough to distinguish between civilians and enemy soldiers

Strategy US used massive bombing campaigns Pacification tactics such as search and destroy missions and free-fire zones

Turning Point 1968—NVA and Viet Cong prepared to launch a simultaneous attack against all major cities in South Vietnam Occurred on Tet, the Vietnamese New Year, rumored to be truce time Tet failed in terms of casualties but succeeded in turning US sentiment against the war

March 1968 Johnson halted bombing and began peace talks Richard Nixon was elected President Nixon began reducing troops and turning Vietnam over to Army of the Republic of Vietnam leaders

Tim O’Brien Drafted into the US Army right after college Spent 2 years in Vietnam After the war, he wrote to cope with his memories from the war Often used the character Paul Berlin to tell the story