Silly Billy

Ok of every character in the book Bill is my favorite. WE know he has some problems because he drinks so much in Vienna that he can't remember what he did for four days but he still has a good sense of humor and doesn't react badly to some things that the other characters do. Bill is different from Jake because he does not avoid problems but has a humorous way to deal with them. on page 116 Bill says my favorite line of the whole book; "Listen. You're a hell of a good guy and I'm fonder of you than anybody on earth. I couldn't tell you that in New York. It'd mean I was a faggot. That was what the civil war was about. Abraham Lincoln was a faggot. He was in love with General Gant. So was Jefferson Davis. Lincoln just freed the slaves on a bet. The Dred Scott case was framed by the Anti-Saloon League. Sex explains it all. The Colonel's Lady and Judy O'Grady are lesbians under their skin." Not only is this quote funny but it really is what this book is about. The first part is Bills indirect way of making it known he is not gay because many veterans had masculinity issues after the war. then he goes on to discuss who loves who as the book does with Brett, and ends with saying sex explains everything. And yeah sex explains this whole book about why Brett can't be with Jake.