Summary Of Where Have You Gone, Charming Billy Boy By Tim O Brien

All one can do is learn how to control fear and utilize it. “Where Have You Gone, Charming Billy Boy,” by Tim O’ Brien is a short story that focuses on the view of Private First Class Paul Berlin, a newcomer to the war, as he and his platoon cautiously make their way to the sea. Through the author’s repetition and wording, the readers are given the effects of war, the attributes of fear and a lasting impression about fear. Through O’Brien’s repetition and use of similes, he delivers the effects of war to the readers. Making their way to the sea, the platoon acted a particular way to avoid being seen by the enemy, “slowly in the dark, single file, not talking, like sheep in a dream they passed through” (O’Brien 262.) War makes one heedful of death. O’Brien’s simile shows the readers that war makes us more cautious of our surroundings. Moving

Desperately wanting to get away from the thought of war, Berlin recalls back to his youth, “with his eyes pinched shut, he pretended. He was a boy again, he was not a solider” (262.) Fear of death and war makes one desperately want to escape the reality they are in to a time of naivety and innocence. Paul is able to vividly reminisce back to his childhood because of fear. As Paul came closer to the sea, he thought of his life after the war, “he would begin to make friends and when the war was over, he would have war buddies and he would write to them” (265.) Fear enables Paul to think of the future. Fear can give hope and bring one home. Recalling back to his training before the war, Berlin makes a realization “they hadn’t given any lessons in courage” (266.) That is to say, nothing can prepare one for fear. O’Brien shows the reader fear is inevitable. Across the story, O’Brien connects our relationship to fear using war and shows one can never be prepared for fear and it is able to drive us to do many