1.-Tell the story of Billy Boy's death as you imagine a TV news reporter based in Vietnam might have reported it on the day it happened. Tell what happened, whom it happened to, where it happened, why it happened, and how it happened. 2. -There is a central irony in warfare, which has to do with the fact that soldiers kill people they do not even know. What is ironic, or contrary to what we would expect, about how Billy Boy dies? About how his body is removed? 3. -Explain the significance of each of these story elements: 1. -The song "Where Have You Gone, Charming Billy?" 2.-The flashbacks to camping trips 3. -Paul's fit of uncontrollable giggling 4. -The minor character Toby 4. What do you think Paul has discovered about war and about himself on his first day of combat? What theme, or central idea, relating to war is O'Brien expressing in this story? 5. -The tone is the writer's attitude toward the subject. How would you describe this story's tone? Analyze the way in which O'Brien creates that tone. Cite lines and incidents from the story. 6. In a sense, this is a story about a hero's journey. Such journeys often take the form of a quest, a search for something of great value. What is it that Paul expects to find at the sea, the endpoint of his journey? Ironically, what does he find instead? 7.-Think about the story's historical context - the 1960s - and the period of U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War. How does O'Brien's story reflect its historical period and the themes and issues of that time? 8. Having read this story and the biographical information about the author explain how the story likely reflects O'Brien's attitudes toward the Vietnam War. Give examples from the story to support your interpretation. Remember that the tone of a work is a good clue to the writer's attitude.