Chapter 2- Protagonist

Chapter 2 makes it evident that Billy, the protagonist, has been through much trauma throughout his life. For example, he fought in World War II, he had a nervous collapse, lost his wife, and endured a plane crash. The trauma that Billy has gone through, may be one of the reasons that he experiences his "flashbacks." Billy is, "spastic in time [and] has no control over where he is going next..." during his flashbacks (23). Billy's flashbacks may also account for him trying to make sense of his own life. These flashbacks allow the reader to understand the entirety of Billy's life, because they are not in order and highlight some of the biggest events that occurred throughout his lifespan.