January 24, 2012 ("Where Have You Gone, Charming Billy?")

In "Where Have You Gone Charming Billy", the mood and setting cause the reader to feel sorry for PFC Paul Berlin. There is a sharp contrast in two different moods from the beginning and end of the excerpt. At the beginning, the author creates a mood that is lonely, dark, and the cold, empty feeling one might expect at a hospital. At the end, the author creates a mood that is optimistic and happy, which also matches the mood of the section in which he reminisces about his childhood. Obviously, this leads us to conclude that he hates that war and wishes that he could leave the lonely, dark reality that is war. Thus, the audience feels sorry for his character because we feel empathy for him.