Chapter 10: Poo-tee-weet?

          To begin, I realize that I have used the term theme numerous times in other posts, but I wanted to address the theme presented at the end of the novel. One of the biggest themes of the novel can be summarized in the last line of the novel, "One bird said to Billy Pilgrim, 'Poo-tee-weet?' (Vonnegut 215). At the beginning of the novel, Vonnegut addresses the point that nothing can be said about a massacre. In witnessing the Dresden bombings, Vonnegut knew just how destructive it was. By possessing this outlook, Vonnegut only has a bird chirping at the end of the novel to show the theme that nothing can describe the horror of large-scale death, destruction, etc. The birds chirping also shows that nothing intelligent can be said about war. After reading this novel, I have realized that this is a very understandable and truthful theme about life.

Chapter 10: Simile

             Throughout Slaughterhouse-Five, there are countless numbers of similes and metaphors. One of the reoccurring similes that was used earlier by Vonnegut makes a reappearance at the end of the novel. The simile appears in the passage, "There were hundreds of corpse mines operating by and by. They didn't smell bad at first, were wax museums. But then the bodies rotten and liquefied, and the stink was like roses and mustard gas" (Vonnegut 214). Now, I am not exactly sure what roses and mustard gas smells like, but it must be awful since it is being compared to rotten flesh. This made me think of earlier in the novel, when Vonnegut compared his breath to roses and mustard gas. I personally find it odd how his breath and rotting corpses can be compared to the same thing. Anyways, Slaughterhouse-Five was a very confusing novel to begin with, but by the end, I found it to be very enjoyable with great themes. This was probably one of the better novels that I had to read.

Chapter 9: the Serenity Prayer

             The Serenity Prayer makes a reappearance at the end of chapter nine, which I find very interesting. This prayer appears on a necklace around Montana Wildhack's neck, and also earlier in Billy's work office on a plaque. The prayer goes like this:

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
Courage to change the things I can,
And wisdom to know the difference.

            When I first read this prayer, the thoughts or ideas in the prayer seems to almost be clustered. I had to break it down to truly understand its meaning. First, we are asking for comfort to accept things that cannot be changed, which is pretty straight forward. This is very comparable to the "bugs in amber" symbolism that we are stuck in the moment and cannot change it. The next line asks for the courage to change things that I can. People go through the problem of being scared to make changes in their life that can better them as a person. The last line is confusing in asking for the wisdom to know the difference between the two. After reading the line again, it is important to know the difference so people do not waste time on unchangeable problems, etc. It is kind evident that Kurt Vonnegut believes in the meaning of the prayer, and it is shown throughout the novel.  

Chapter 9: Symbol

          The symbol that is my topic of discussion is something that I first read over without giving much thought to it. This symbol is the green coffin-shaped wagon that Billy and other soldiers are riding in, after the war. It appears in the passage, "... Billy closed his eyes, traveled in time to a May afternoon, two days after the end of the Second World War in Europe. Billy and five other Americans prisoners were riding in a coffin-shaped green wagon, which they found abandoned, complete with two horses, in a suburb of Dresden" (Vonnegut 194). When I first read this passage, I did find it very strange that Vonnegut would describe the wagon as being coffin-shaped, but that all I though of it.

           While reading further in the chapter, I started to think of the odd wagon and what was its purpose. Then I realized its meaning. I believe the wagon symbolizes that even though it may seem like a time of happiness, being the victor of war, the survivors of the war still suffered symbolic death. The death of their feeling of living a meaningful life. The death of the innocence of the "babies" that had fought in the war. Billy did not grasp the emptiness of victory in war until he sees the condition of the horses, which are pitiful.

            In conclusion, the green coffin-shaped wagon had a deeper purpose in symbolizing death of the survivors in several ways. Vonnegut, throughout the novel, has been trying to show that war is pointless, and death will be suffered even by the winning side. This green wagon is Vonnegut's way of demonstrating this theme.

Chapter 8: Time Travel

          When first reading chapter two, the reader was introduced to the main character, Billy, who could time travel. Billy's time traveling is what all Tralfamadorians, an alien race, experience. The Tralfamadorians experience all of existence at any given time, thus they see their existence as a whole. Because of this ability, they see consequences of their actions at the time they act.

          Billy's ability to see consequences is the important part of his time travel. Humanity doesn't see the "whole picture". Humanity doesn't understand the consequences of their actions. Vonnegut's thought is that, if humans could see, or would think about the "whole picture", they wouldn't do things like bomb the city of Dresden, treat each other cruelly, etc. Vonnegut uses the Tralfamadorian view of their lives, and Billy's time travelling, to demonstrate this point.  He criticizes humans with the hope that we will learn to behave better.

        This was a topic that I had difficulties understanding and had to research. After reading on this topic, it actually makes a lot sense and is a great theme for the novel.

Chapter 8: Extended Metaphor

         In chapter eight, there were numerous metaphors, but there was one extended metaphor that caught my attention. This metaphor is found in the passages, "The curves were smooth only when seen from a distance. The people climbing them learned that they were treacherous, jagged things--hot to the touch, often unstable--eager, should certain important rocks be disturbed, to tumble some more, to form lower, more solid curves. Nobody talked much as the expedition crossed the moon. There was nothing appropriate to say. One thing was clear: Absolutely everybody in the city was supposed to be dead, regardless of what they were, and that anybody that moved in it represented a flaw in the design. There were to be no moon men at all" (Vonnegut 180). I find it interesting that Vonnegut uses a metaphor to describe the aftermath of the Dresden bombing. In comparing the survivors to an expedition crossing the moon, Vonnegut gives the audience a feel that the survivors are on a mission, which is also an interesting comparison.

        All in all, chapter eight was interesting in how Vonnegut tells the reader about the Dresden bombings.

Chapter 7: So It Goes

        "So it goes" is a phrase that Vonnegut uses regularly throughout the novel. When I hear this phrase alone, it sounds very depressing. Vonnegut uses this phrase whenever there is a mentioning of death, or cease of existence, for both inanimate objects and for humans. Vonnegut also seems to use this phrase whenever he does not want to go into details of a certain event, almost like a way out of finishing the story without actually concluding it. With this in mind, "so it goes" almost seems symbolic to death, destruction, suffering, sadness, etc. This is where the phrase "so it goes" adds on to the theme of the book: death is nothing to fear; it simply happens, but is never permanent. When first reading this, it does sound very depressing and harsh, but it instead highlights Vonnegut's beliefs of death and its infinite nature.

         I hope the quality of the post will overshadow the quantity. Anyways, on to chapter eight!

Chapter 7: Flashback

           An example of a flashback can be found quite early in chapter seven. This example is found in the passage, "Speaking of people from Poland: Billy Pilgrim accidentally saw a Pole hanged in public, about three days after Billy got to Dresden. Billy just happened to be walking to work with some others shortly after sunrise, and they came to a gallows and a small crowd in front of a soccer stadium. The Pole was a farm laborer who was being hanged for having had sexual intercourse with a German woman. So it goes" (Vonnegut 155-156). I find it interesting how Vonnegut informs the reader of this event in a flashback, instead of Billy time traveling. Vonnegut could have gone greater into details of the story by having Billy time travel, but rather there is just a flashback. With this flashback, I am starting to appreciate more the style of writing Vonnegut possess. His writing style is much more interesting then having numerous flashbacks because of the constant time travel.

          Since I was lazy the past few days, I procrastinated in finishing my posts. I am wishing the quality of the post stay the same even with the shortened time period. Anyways, I hope everyone is enjoying the last few weeks of summer!