Characterization

This first chapter is all about identifying the main characters in the story.  We begin to understand who Billy is and we see the way he behaves. He is a physically and mentally weak human being without any sort of skill.  He is vulnerable and we see his life as unstable and full of sin and loss.  Ronald Weary meanwhile is a man who is strong and mean, and he seems to be a stereotypical, moronic bully.  He is cruel and pushes around everyone, and people around him report that "He had been unpopular because he was stupid and fat and mean, and he smelled like bacon no matter how much he washed."  Despite his cruelty, he is a good soldier that saves Billy's life many times, thus creating a sort-of love-hate relationship between the two.