Chapter 10: Part 2

The rhetorical questions asked throughout the novel remind me of life's mysteries.  Everyone wakes up with the same knowledge of why the sky is blue. It is blue because we are told it is blue. A common question of life is: why do bad things happen to good people? No one has the correct answer to life's unanswered questions. This is similar to the bird's chirping in the book. The bird's chirps are equivalent to any human's logical answer.

Summary of Chapter 10

The rhetorical questions return to end chapter ten.  Along with the reappearance of foreshadowing and time traveling, rhetorical questions contribute to these two effects of the novel. Vonnegut writes, "One bird said to Billy Pilgrim, "Poo-tee-weet?"" (215). This is the answer to the distraught maasacre because Vonnegut stresses that there are no intelligent responses to massacres. Each individual's talk about war us equivalent to the bird's chirping. The birds chirp nonsense as nonsense is the answer to the rhetorical question.

Chapter 9: Part 2

Chapter nine reminds me of my grandfather's funeral. My grandfather was a war veteran. The symbolism of the coffin reminds me of his coffin where the American flag was placed to symbol his heroism. Chapter nine also reminded me of Mass. During Mass we are called to realize that there are more things to life then materials and riches. This relates to how Billy has realized there are more complex things to life than humans.

Chapter 9 Summary

Time traveling and foreshadowing are continuously spread out throughout the novel. With the foreshadowing and time traveling becoming more prevalent, symbolism and symbols are used to describe the flashback scenes. "Billy and five other American prisoners were riding in a coffin- shaped green wagon" (193-194). This quote symbolizes the hard work that the soldiers sacrificed to fight for America.  Chapter nine offers the final symbols the connect all the chapters.

Chapter 8: Part 2

The tragedies of chapter eight remind me of the Holocaust.  The Germans would burn the Jews hometowns, burning all their belongings.  The Germans would also start riots burning down Jewish businesses.  One night everything would be completely calm and in tact. The next night burning fires would be everywhere.  Just like the bombing of Dresden, lives of the Jewish community were forever changed.

Chapter Eight Summary

Foreshadowing contributes greatly to  the novel Slaughterhouse Five. The novel foreshadows the bombing and the war. "It was the next night that about one hundred and thirty thousand people in Dresden would die" (165). In chapter one, this bombing was referenced to in the process of foreshadowing. The next night, Dresden filled with burning bodies

Chapter 7: Part 2

Chapter seven reminds me of ironic situations that occur in everyday life. Billy's situation reminds me of when a person is pulling out from a repair shop, and gets into a wreck. Chapter seven also reminds me of how everything can be perfect one minute, and the next minute everything is in shambles. Everyone should appreciate each moment life has to offer because it could be gone the next moment. It is hard for Billy to appreciate the moments when he knows what's always happening next.

Chapter 7 Summary

Irony shines in chapter seven.  Billy experiences a plane crash, where himself and the copoilet were the only survivors. The travelers were viewing the beautiful mountains in the plane and listening to cheerful music.  Irony is present when the readers realize the plane has crashed: "Wait Til The Sun Shines, Nelly," seconds before "the plane smacked into the top of Sugarbush Mountain in Vermont" (156). The irony is present in the song being happy while tradegy is occuring. 

Chapter Six: Part 2

I compared chapter six to grandparents or elderly of the community.  Edgar Derby was chosen to lead the Americans who were being shipped to Dresden.  Edgar Derby and grandparents share common experiences and maturity due to old age.  Old people are referred to as senior citizens because of their abundance of knowledge.  Grandparents are the leaders of our families just like Edgar Derby was the leaders of Americans. 

Summary of Chapter 6

Vonnegut's stream of conscience Changes when he begins to write about Lazzaro. Paul Lazzaro mentions a past experience of getting bit by a dog. Lazzaro's evil side is revealed through his volugar description: "put points on the ends of pieces. They were sharp as razor blades. (He) stuck em into the steak - way inside" (189). Paul Lazzaro brings violence to the story with his wicked ideas.

Chapter 5: Part 2

Chapter five reminds me of the terrist attack on September 11. Many lives were lost, but life must go on. In the novel Slaughterhouse Five, the phrase, "So it goes on" is often used to express life is continued after tragic war.  The little girl lost her dad, but she must continue on with her life. Unfortunately, lots of lives are lost in war and tradegy, but life still continues.
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kVo95CPDFU8

Chapter 5 Summary

The phrase, "So it goes," is a reoccurring motif throughout the book. There is a deeper meaning than Vonnegut presents in the statement. After everything Billy experiences with war and truama, he realizes life continues: "He was dead now. So it goes." The deaths of war are stressed throughout chapter five.  Death is reoccuring in war. The phrase is repeated every time there is a death. The phrase relates to life continuing as death deterates emotions and surroundings.

Chapter 4: Part 2

In chapter four, I believe Billy is a prisoner of multiple things.  Billy is a prisoner of free will and the Tralfamadorian's. Billy is also becoming locked in his past.  He knows that he will be kidnapped, and there is nothing he can do about it.  Billy lies in bed reliving his past and fearing the future. 

Chapter 4: Internal Conflict

The main character, Billy, is faced with INTERNAL CONFLICTS in this chapter. He revisits past experiences uncontrollably.  Billy is threatened by Weary's death.  The Tralfamadorian's tell him that, "All time is all time. It does not change. It does not lead itself to warnings or explanations" (86). Billy is aware that he is only free on Earth under the Tralfamadorian's power. 

Chapter Three: Part 2

Chapter 3 resmebles the thoughts of a human made by God. People get caught in between good and evil.  Billy realizes how the choices of free will ultimately affect his life.  Billy reads this prayer on his plaque,  “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom always to tell the difference.” Everyone can realte to this prayer because people have trouble changing bad habits.  Billy realizes he needs to change the bad habits to benefit his future. 



Summary of Chapter Three

There are many DISCRIPTIVE DETAILS present in chapter three. Vonnegut descibes the scences of the novel to create a strong mental image in the reader's head: "there was so much to see--dragon's teeth, killing machines, corpses with bare feet that were blue and ivory" (65). These details help the reader create a vivid image of Billy's experiences.  The discriptive details create more illusions to understand Billy's thought process and frame of mind.  The reader can grip the feeling of unhappiness Billy is feeling.

Chapter Two: Part Two

Billy resembles the character from the movie, Back to the Future. Like the main character in the movie, Billy travels in time relieving his life.  The characters experience flash backs to create memories of the past.  Both characters are faced with decisions of making new decisions to change their futures.  Their new decision that they have the opportunity of making may create a whole new life for them. 

Summary of Chapter 2

In chapter two, the main character, Billy Pilgrim has many flashbacks. He time travels to reoocurrences of his life. When Billy time travels, he relives his experiences correlated with another world: "Billy blinked in 1965, traveled in time to 1958" (45). Even though Billy's time travels are not realistic, he is still experiencing flash backs of his life in different worlds. Billy has various of flashbacks or time travels with added fantasy characteristics.