"Where Have You Gone, Charming Billy?"

1.

4 points

According to Doc Peret, what caused Billy Boy Watkins to die of a heart attack?

bad news from back home

fear of dying

falling out of the medevac helicopter

shrapnel in his heart

2.

4 points

Who is the protagonist in the story?

Buffalo

Billy Boy Watkins

Paul Berlin

Toby

3.

4 points

Which word means lively or moving easily and quickly?

valiantly

stealth

inertia

agile

4.

4 points

What technique of characterization does the author use to show that Paul Berlin almost loses control of his fear?

A direct statement about the fear

Dialogue with Buffalo about death

Thoughts about how his fear is swallowing him

The action of being unable to stop giggling

5.

4 points

Which part of the plot includes Paul thinking about his dad, Paul talking to Buffalo, and Paul singing songs?

falling action

exposition

climax

rising action

6.

4 points

What do Paul's thoughts at the beginning of the story reveal about his emotions?

He is scared and homesick.

He was talkative and happy.

He was cocky and arrogant.

He was quiet and confident.

7.

4 points

Which vocabulary word means the act of comforting?

consolation

agile

inertia

stealth

8.

4 points

Why can't Paul stop giggling at Billy Boy Watkin's death?

Paul is scared, and the laughter becomes an emotional release.

Buffalo made a funny joke about the helicopter ride.

Paul did not like Billy Boy Watkins.

Laughter reminded him of Billy Boy Watkins.

9.

4 points

Buffalo's actions and dialogue reveal him to be ______.

temperamental and mean

a seasoned veteran of the war

a foolhardy new recruit

unfriendly and standoffish

10.

4 points

Paul pretended he was somewhere else because______.

he was afraid.

he knew he was going to die.

he was sleepy.

he was bored.

11.

4 points

How does Tim O'Brien manipulate time in this story?

The author manipulates time in the story by not telling us how long Paul had been at war and not giving us specific dates of events. The story is not in chronological order to make the reader pay attention.

The author manipulates the time by including flashbacks and writing in an order that is not chronological. The story of Billy Boy's death is never told in continuity with the story, but it is expressed through the horrific memories of Paul.

The author doesn't manipulate time in this story.

The author manipulate time by allowing flashbacks and foreshadowing what will happen in the future. The days are long and hard for Paul and let's time seem forever because you can't wait to know what happens next.

12.

4 points

Which of these would NOT be the best theme statement for this story?

You can overcome fear if you try hard enough.

You must have determination to stay strong when you are fearful.

War cannot be explained; it must be experienced to be understood.

War is scary.

13.

4 points

What major conflicts are presented in this story?

person vs. person

person vs. society

person vs. nature

all of the answers are correct

14.

4 points

We learn that the soldiers consider the burial mounds that they encounter to be a fine place to shoot their weapons. What is the irony here?

All of these answers are correct.

The mounds are described as being found in a graveyard and are described as being “conical-shaped”. The graveyard is described as having a “perfumy smell” and it is very quiet. That they would consider this a “nice place to spend the night” and that the mounds would “make fine battlements” to shoot guns is ironic because a graveyard is a place of peace, not war.

In his training, Paul remembers to “Stay off the center of the path, for that was where the land mines and booby traps were planted” he was also taught to stay alert. However, he reflects that they were not taught how to “stop being afraid; they hadn’t given any lessons in courage”. This illustrates that Paul feels ill prepared to deal with the frightening realities of war. He feels like the preparation he really needed was learning how to be brave and remain unaffected by the circumstance.

The dark tone of fear becomes upbeat, almost lighthearted. Berlin expresses his desire to potentially make friends with some of the other soldiers, learning their names and laughing at their jokes. He imagines that when the war is over, he will have “war buddies” and guesses he will write to them “once in a while and exchange memories.”

15.

4 points

Which vocabulary word means secret or sly behavior?

agile

consolation

stealth

inertia

16.

4 points

Which of these words means spread out or unfocused?

agile

inertia

diffuse

stealth

17.

4 points

Which part of the plot would contain Paul's platoon walking through the jungle?

rising action

climax

exposition

falling action

18.

4 points

What is the climax of the story?

Paul thinks about his childhood memories.

Billy Boy Watkins dies.

Paul remembers the death of Billy Boy Watkins and starts giggling hysterically.

Private First Class Paul Berlin reaches the sea.

19.

4 points

Which vocabulary word means to pass around rather than go through?

agile

skirted

consolation

inertia

20.

4 points

What is the irony in the story?

All of the answers are correct

Paul viewing the sea as a place of safety, but once he gets there he is still unable to rid himself of his fear.

Billy Boy is so afraid of dying, he dies of a heart attack.

Paul is afraid of being afraid.