The Best We Could Do

by

Thi Bui

Mr. Châu Character Analysis

The pilot of the boat that takes Thi Bui’s family to safety. When their boat runs aground on an island in the Mekong Delta and is nearly caught by a government patrol, Mr. Châu jumps overboard to try and unstick the boat. He ends up doing this and hiding onshore for hours, and when he returns, he is in complete shock and unable to continue serving as the boat’s captain. In a moment of heroism, Bố takes over this duty.
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Mr. Châu Character Timeline in The Best We Could Do

The timeline below shows where the character Mr. Châu appears in The Best We Could Do. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 7: Heroes and Losers
Intergenerational Trauma Theme Icon
Repression and Freedom Theme Icon
...and gets stuck. There are police boats nearby, so everyone worries about drawing their attention. Mr. Châu , the boat’s pilot, swims away to try and unstick the boat. Meanwhile, the other... (full context)
Intergenerational Trauma Theme Icon
Repression and Freedom Theme Icon
But Mr. Châu is traumatized and incapable of piloting the boat, so the adults decide that Bố should... (full context)