Chapter Ten: Poo-tee-weet?

In chapter one, Kurt Vonnegut tells the biblical story about Lot's wife. In a nutshell, Lot's wife was told  not to look back at the city being destroyed. Of course, human instinct kicked in; therefore, she looked back. Lot's wife became a pillar of salt. Ending chapter one on this note is useful for the story's purpose. The gist of the biblical story is not to look back. I believe Billy Pilgrim is crazy to say that he is time-traveling. Personally, I think that he is merely looking back at his life. He is pondering on what could have been and what actually happened. Humans have tendency of being stuck in the past and not looking forward to the future. Once upon a time, "One bird said to Billy Pilgrim, 'Poo-tee-weet?'" (215).  "Poo-tee-weet" is bird language for "So it goes." This phrase is meant to say: "Keep moving on. Yes, this event happened. Move on! Do not ponder in the past, but look forward to the future!" 

Chapter Ten: Narration

    In the Slaughterhouse Five, every chapter, except chapter one, was in third person. In chapter ten, the narration was a mixture of first person and third person. Vonnegut writes, "Now Billy and the rest of were being marched into the ruins by their guards. I was there. O'Hare was there" (212). Kurt Vonnegut's story may have been in first person throughout the whole book. He was telling a story and never really decided to use the word I except in chapter one and chapter ten. I really liked how it ended the story by including his character in the plot at the end of the book. 

Chapter Nine: Through Thick and Thin

    In chapter three, Billy Pilgrim had a framed prayer on the wall of his office. The prayer went like this:

This beautiful prayer helped Billy get through the rough times and to continue living. This prayer gave him motivation to keep trying his best no matter what the circumstances are. In chapter nine, the audience learns where he found this prayer. Vonnegut writes, "There was a silver chain around Montana Wildhack's neck. Hanging from it, between her breasts, was a locket containing a photograph of her alcoholic mother- a grainy thing, soot and chalk" (208). This prayer is like a guiding light. Most people, like me, stress out all the time over a little situation. They need encouragement to get them through a difficult time or a big test they think they will fail. In the end, everything happens for a reason. The important idea is to have the strength to carry on through an obstacle. 

Chapter Nine: Cold Feet

    Motif is a recurring image, word phrase, action, idea, object, or situation used throughout a work. I notice a reoccurring word during chapter nine: blue. In chapter four, Vonnegut describes Billy Pilgrims feet, "He look down at his bare feet. They were ivory and blue" (72). In chapter six, Vonnegut writes about the dead hobo in the car, "His bare feet were blue and ivory. It was all right, somehow, his being dead. So it goes" (148). Finally in chapter nine, Vonnegut describes Valencia's body color, "Poor Valencia was unconscious, overcome by carbon monoxide. She was a heavenly azure" (183). Vonnegut connects coldness and death with the color blue. Blue is associated with calmness and tranquility. Blue is also used to connect body and mind. I understand why Vonnegut used blue to represent death. Since blue is used to associated equanimity, Vonnegut used blue to represent death because the Tralfamadorians believed, "When a Tralfamadorian sees a corpse, all he thinks is that the dead person is in a bad condition in that particular moment, but that the same person is just fine in plenty of other moments" (27). Tralfamadorians are calm when it comes to death, which explains their slogan, "So it goes." 

Chapter Eight: "Give Me Liberty Or Give Me Death!"

    The beginning of chapter eight recounts Edgar Derby's speech about freedom and justice. He stands up to Howard W. Campbell, Jr., who was a Nazi hoping to gain support. Derby spoke the truth, "Derby spoke movingly of the American form of government, with freedom and justice and opportunities and fair play for all. He said there wasn't a man there who wouldn't gladly die for those ideals" (164). Derby's little outburst reminded me of Patrick Henry's speech. "Give Me Liberty Or Give Me Death" was about revolting against England. Derby did not wish to enforce war, but both men spoke about patriotism. They were both protecting a land of freedom and opportunities. The "land" the two men spoke passionately about was The United States of America.

Chapter Eight: The Spread of Disease

    A diction is the author's choice of words. Vonnegut has used excellent choice of words, but there was one phrase that I loved. Vonnegut writes, "He spoke of the brotherhood between the American and the Russian people, and how those two nations were going to crush the disease of Nazism, which wanted to infect the whole world" (164). Nazis wanted to spread their belief around the whole world. They wanted everyone to believe in their ideas. During World War II, Nazism was everywhere. There were the famous red flags with the swastika in the middle all over Germany and other countries during the war. Even in America, everyone spoke about the Nazis that were controlling the world. Nazism was globally. Vonnegut described Nazism perfectly. Nazism was a disease that was spread to every person. Like a disease, it has to spread through contact and that was the goal for Nazis: to spread the beliefs to everyone. 

Chapter Seven: That's Too Bad!

Wow! Would people not love to go back in time and change that little mistake they did in the past? The concept of changing the past to fix the future reminds me of the movie: Source Code. The main character tries so hard to change the future of two trains exploding. He does not want all the people in the trains to die. This situation is similar to Billy Pilgirm's problem. Vonnegut writes, "Billy Pilgrim got onto a chartered airplane in Ilium twenty-five years after that. He knew it was going to crash, but he didn't want to make a fool of himself by saying so" (154). If I could go back in time, then I would change an accident so that it would not occur. Why could Billy Pilgrim not change the incident of the plane? Billy Pilgrim could have avoided buying the plane in the first place. There were many incidents in Billy Pilgrim's life that he could have changed when he traveled back in time, but he did not. He is a weak character and is too embarrassed to say that the plane will crash.

Chapter Seven: I Am a Robot?

    

    Apparently, the Tralfamadorians think that human beings are robots. Why would they think that? Maybe, they saw The Terminator and thought that all creatures were similar to Arnold Schwarzenegger. I notice a metaphor when Vonnegut writes, "Tralfamadorians, of course, say that every creature and plant in the Universe is a machine. It amuses them that so many Earthlings are offended by the idea of being machines"(154). Vonnegut uses a metaphor to describe the Tralfamadorians' feelings about living creatures in the Universe being machines. As a whole, living creatures' bodies work well with the atmosphere, especially here on Earth. Machines have different parts to make a finishing product. This idea is similar to the relationship between humans and plants. Human beings need oxygen to live and get oxygen from plants. Plants need carbon dioxide, which they receive from humans. 

Chapter Six: Live Life to the Fullest!

    Freshman year of health class, I learned about the quality of life. Quality of life is the personal satisfaction in one's life. The quality of life is very important idea that helps one to live a longer and easier life. An example to raise one's quality of life is one quitting to smoke. If one quits smoking, then his or her life and the lives of others will be better and pain free. In chapter six, Vonnegut writes, "What the Englishman said about survival was this: 'If you stop taking pride in your appearance, you will very soon die.' He said that he had seen several men die in the following way: 'They ceased to stand up straight, then ceased to shave or wash, then ceased to get out of bed, then ceased to talk, then died. There is this much to be said for it: it is evidently a very easy and painless way to go'" (145). The prisoners of war were obviously depressed from lack of comfort, food, and love. They found no reason to continue to live a depressed life. The Englishman motivated them out of their depression. Clearly, the Englishmen needed prisoners to stay alive and healthy, so that they could be used as laborers. 

Chapter Six: The Bad Guy

     Direct Characterization shows the audience the personality, values, and quality of a character. In chapter six, the readers learn more about Paul Lazzaro. Paul Lazzaro came into the prison hospital with a broken arm. Paul thinks he is a big shot and everyone should respect him because he has "connection." In fact, Paul is a scrawny man who has rude manners. I came to the realization of Paul Lazzaro's character very quickly, especially when he said, "'You made a big mistake,' said Lazzaro. 'Anybody touches me, he better kill me, or I'm gonna have him killed'" (138). My first impression was that he is a crazy person and that Paul cannot even hurt a fly. I continued to read the rest of the chapter, and I understood that Paul Lazzaro can do anything he sets his mind to do. He promised Billy Pilgrim that he was going to get revenge from him because he "somehow" killed Roland Weary. Paul Lazzaro did fulfill that promise by killing Billy Pilgrim. Vonnegut expressed Paul Lazzaro's character in certain way that allows the audience to understand him.

Chapter Five: Women Roles Played By Men?

     During the Shakespeare's time, the roles of women in a play were performed by men. Personally, I thought that unusual phase would have been over in the 20th century. I was surprised when I read this, "The women in the play were really men, of course"(98). I was surprised because the play was Cinderella. Most people would be somewhat upset to discover the part of Cinderella being played by a man. (Well, at least I do!) I remember that there are men who have played the role of a woman in the 21st century. For example, in Hairspray, Tracy's mother was played by John Travolta.

In the famous Tyler Perry movies, the role of Madea, which is a woman character, is performed by Tyler Perry himself!

  I understand that Billy Pilgrim was in the middle of a war. Most of the women were working in a factory or where their husbands used to work before going to war. Obviously, the soldiers were looking for some entertainment and with the lack of women, a male Cinderella is the best they can do!

Oops! I almost forgot Adam Sandler playing the role of Jill in the movie Jack and Jill. 

Chapter Five: Superman?

     Billy Pilgrim is not a typical character that has amazing skills and saves the day. I noticed the fact that Pilgrim is more of a zero than a hero. Chapter five included many time travel trips to the hospital. Vonnegut writes, "Billy traveled in time back to the veterans' hospital again" (107). Even in his 40's, Billy Pilgrim was a weak man. His daughter feared that he was vulnerable to the world, especially when Barbara says, "'Oh my God, you are a child. If we leave you alone here, you'll freeze to death, you'll starve to death'" (131-132). Billy Pilgrim is not an ordinary character who has amazing powers to save other people, but vice versa. Other people like the doctors in the veterans' hospital and his daughter have to come to his aid to help him through life. I must not underestimate Billy Pilgrim, though. He could always evolve to become the character that saves everyone's lives. He might also have a secret skill hidden inside, like patience. No one notices a gift that allows one to be in a state of equanimity all the time. In the end of the chapter, I realized that Billy Pilgrim is an antihero. An antihero is a central character who lacks typical heroic features.  

Chapter Four: Treatment of the Prisoners of War

   
     During World War II, prisoners' of war (POWs) treatment was suppose to be controlled by a document called the Geneva Convention. Geneva Convention was composed and signed in 1929 by major countries like Britain, Italy, the United States of America, and Germany. The German army treated their POWs in accordance to the document. They decided not to treat POWs badly because they wished to save their punishments for the Jews. From the picture above, one could observe that the POWs were in danger of nutrition. The Germans did not feed the POWs as much as they should have, but they did offer POWs, who had to work, compensation. All in all, an Allied soldier did not wish to be in the same situation as Billy Pilgrim, "And Billy and the rest were encouraged to shuffle around their dinky train and into the prison camp. There wasn't anything warm or lively to attract them- merely long, low, narrow sheds by the thousands, with no lights inside" (82).

Chapter Four: Not So Perfect...

     In Chapter four, Billy Pilgrim is still in the car and experiences a feeling of loneliness because of his hubris. A hubris is the tragic flaw that often leads to a character's downfall. One of the men in the same car as Pilgrim expressed his feelings about Pilgrim's sleeping habits saying, "' Not with me, you son of a b****,' said somebody else. 'You yell. You kick.'     'I do?'    'You're God damn right you do. And you whimper.'    'I do?'" (78-79). 

    Pilgrim was completely alone. Everyone in the car agreed that Pilgrim was annoying and had issues while he slept. No one wished to be near him. The feeling of loneliness can bring a person's self- esteem down. At that point, Billy Pilgrim felt isolated. Vonnegut continues saying, "Nearly everybody, seemingly, had an atrocity story of something Billy Pilgrim had done to him in his sleep. Everybody told Billy Pilgrim to keep the hell away" (79).  Billy Pilgrim was forced to sleep standing up. There were probably reasons why Pilgrim was yelling, kicking, and whimpering in his sleep, especially because of the war. 

Chapter Three: Do You Need Some Help?

     During this chapter, Billy Pilgrim mentions that "There was no servants. People just weren't interested in careers in domestic service anymore" (62).  I thought about the book I read last year: The Help by Kathryn Stockett. The Help is about African American housekeepers working in white people's houses in the early 1960's. Billy Pilgrim was currently in 1967, one year before the death of  Martin Luther King, Jr. Billy Pilgrim was living in Ilium, New York. During the 60's, the people who lived in the South had housekeepers who were African American, like in The Help. Billy Pilgrim lived more in the North, where people were not as interested in this labor as the Southern people. I am curious why one country could be as separated as it was in the 60's. 

Chapter Three: Moody

     Billy Pilgrim and the rest of the American soldiers continued to march towards Germany. Vonnegut created an atmosphere of delight. Vonnegut created a mood of pleasure by describing Billy's experience saying, "Billy found the afternoon stingingly exciting. There was so much to see-dragon's teeth, killing machines, corpses with bare feet that were blue and ivory" (65). Normally, people do not describe an experience involving corpses to be "exciting." Vonnegut continues to use his unusual dictation by describing Billy's attitude saying, "Billy beamed lovingly at a bright lavender farmhouse that had been spattered with machine-gun bullets" (65). Why would Billy Pilgrim be happy at the sight of seeing death and machines that could possible kill him? I would predict that Vonnegut used the positive word choice to show the audience how Pilgrim is not used to seeing this atmosphere. Usually, when I see something for the first time like a fast and big roller coaster, I become excited and hyper. Vonnegut is trying to represent that same feel of excitement of seeing something big and uncommon for the first time.

Chapter Two: Time Travel or Flashbacks?

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     Chapter two reflects on “time travel.” Naturally, people think about the movie Back to the Future, but I thought differently. What if Billy Pilgrim is not actually going back in time, but instead having flashbacks? I thought of the movie Big Fish. The main character, Edward Bloom, is having recollections of his life before his death. What if Billy Pilgrim is having flashbacks instead of going back in time? While reading the chapter, I began to doubt my brilliant theory about flashbacks. Vonnegut seemed to emphasize the idea of time travel especially in the quote, “Billy blinked in 1965, traveled in time to 1958” (45). Billy Pilgrim gives credit to his green friends on Tralfamadore for the time traveling. Therefore, a supernatural force is helping Billy travel through time or Billy hit his head really hard. Why does it always come back to Back to the Future? 

( I know that almost all of my posts have some connection to movies, but I love movies and they are the first idea that comes to my mind!)

Chapter Two: Why You Gotta Be So Mean?

The relationship between Billy Pilgrim and Roland Weary is somewhat similar to the relationship to a bully and a victim. Weary would constantly hit Pilgrim while Pilgrim accepts his unearned punishment. Vonnegut shows the unfair bond especially in the quote, "The person who was shaking him was Roland Weary. Weary had gathered the front of Billy's field jacket into his hands. He banged Billy against a tree, then pulled him away from it, flung him in the direction he was supposed to take under his own power" (47).  As I read the chapter, I was really upset. I do not tolerate bullying at all! What was Roland Weary’s motivation that made him always abuse Billy Pilgrim? Why do bullies torment other people in the first place? I immediately thought of Harry Potter. Draco Malfoy bullied Harry Potter literally since day one of school. What did he have against him? I remember Draco’s relationship with his father. This relationship was more of a verbal abuse to lower Draco’s self-esteem. There is always a reason why bullies torment other people. The main motivation would be someone at school, a neighbor, family member, etc. is mistreating that same bully. Roland Weary was probably bullied before being drafted into the war. Roland Weary actually had a horrible childhood. Vonnegut expresses Weary's childhood stating "He had been unpopular because he was stupid and fat and mean, and smelled like bacon no matter how much he washed. He was always being ditched in Pittsburgh by people who did not want him with them" (35).  He is looking for revenge by abusing Billy Pilgrim, a skinny soldier that did no harm to Weary. 

Chapter One: Mutt and Jeff

  


     Vonnegut has a nice way of making comparisons throughout the chapter. There was just one comparison that caught my eye. I was very curious about the relationship Vonnegut explained about O’Hare and Vonnegut saying “We were Mutt and Jeff in the war” (pg. 4). I kept reading over the phrase “Mutt and Jeff.” My curiously got the better of me; therefore, I naturally looked up the names. Mutt and Jeff was a comic strip created in 1907. I discovered a YouTube video that revealed a tall and skinny man (Mutt) and a short and bald man (Jeff). These two men always seem to find trouble or trouble finds them. They have dangerous and funny adventures. Once I got a good idea of Mutt and Jeff, I compared them to the two men from the movie Dumb and Dumber. Then, I focused on the book. I linked the relationship between Mutt & Jeff and Vonnegut & O’Hare and came to a conclusion. Similar to Mutt and Jeff, Vonnegut and O’Hare probably had some crazy quests during the war. In the end, they always pulled through for each other to remain somewhat safe during the war and friends. Another simple reason Vonnegut compared Mutt & Jeff to his relationship with O’Hare was because O’Hare was short (Jeff) and he was tall (Mutt), thus creating Mutt and Jeff!

Chapter One: France, Food, Fat

One day, I stumbled upon a literary term in the passage, “There was a plaster model of the Eiffel Tower in there. It was painted gold. It had a clock in it.

‘There’s a smashin’ thing,’ he said.

And we were flown to a rest camp in France, where we were fed chocolate malted milkshakes and other rich foods until we were all covered with baby fat. Then we were sent home, and I married a pretty girl who was covered with baby fat, too.” (Pg.6-7)

While I was reading the first chapter of Slaughterhouse Five, I skimmed over this passage. I assumed that Vonnegut had no idea what he was writing and it had nothing to do with the plot, but I was mistaken. I read the chapter again. I finally understood the meaning of adding the paragraph. I call this little section in the chapter a “mini” foreshadowing. This section is more like a chain reaction of foreshadowing actions.

            The first foreshadowing action is revealed when the narrator is shown the model of the Eiffel Tower by an idiotic Englishman. Then, the narrator and the rest of the soldiers are taken to a rest camp in FRANCE. Thanks to the wonderful world of Google, I know that the Eiffel Tower is, in fact, located in France. (Duh!) 

            Another foreshadowing activity is quickly discovered. While in France, the soldiers were pampered with chocolate malted milkshakes and other rich foods. Of course, they eventually gained some weight. The soldiers were sent home covered in “baby fat.” The narrator married a girl also covered in some “baby fat.” Obviously, if one eats too much chocolate and food, then they began to gain some weight. Vonnegut describes to the audience that the narrator has some baby fat, and he marries a girl who also has baby fat.  

(I thought the video had a good connection with my blog. Ratatouille film is  set in FRANCE and Linguini is learning to cook RICH FOODS!)

I am ready for summer, not the work!