On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous

by

Ocean Vuong

Xavier Character Analysis

Little Dog’s classmate in Hartford, Connecticut. Xavier is killed when he flips his Nissan while high on fentanyl; he is one of five of Little Dog’s peers to die because of opioid drug abuse. Like most of Little Dog’s friends, Xavier illustrates the pervasiveness of opioid abuse in 21st-century American society, and his death further underscores the tragedy of addiction.
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Xavier Character Timeline in On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous

The timeline below shows where the character Xavier appears in On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Part 3
War, Trauma, and Abuse  Theme Icon
Drugs and Addiction  Theme Icon
Language and Storytelling Theme Icon
Memory Theme Icon
...his friends are dead from drug overdoses. “Five,” Little Dog corrects himself, “if you count Xavier who flipped his Nissan doing ninety on a bad batch of fentanyl.” Little Dog doesn’t... (full context)