The Final Post of the Summer. So it goes.

For my final post for the summer, I thought I'd try to make it a little fancier and add another Youtube video. This song, "Keep Holding On" but Avril Lavinge, really was ringing in my head as I finished the book. Billy Pilgrim went through so much in his lifetime, and all he was trying to do was to "keep holding on" to make it through all of his struggles. Another part in the song, where she sings, "There's nothing you can say, nothing you can do. There's no other way when it comes to the truth," reminded me of the idea that he doesn't believe in free will. In the end, for him, there was nothing he could do to out-run his fate, a depressing one at that. If only he could have forced himself to make some decisions to change all of the bad events that happened in his life. Oh well, so it goes.

Motif- Chapter 10

So, for the 10th and final chapter, I decided to try and tackle the whole "So it goes.." repetition that Vonnegut used throughout the novel. At first, I thought of it as sort of a coping device that Billy Pilgrim used to accept death. Now, however, I see it as something he used to try and help explain death. Whether or not this is a way to question his insanity is a death in itself, but I genuinely believe that this is what he thought about death. Billy Pilgrim thought that death was just one moment in time, and that there were many, many more when that person was alive and happy. The "So it goes.." it merely something he said to remind himself of that. 

Serenity Prayer

This prayer always reminds me of Mrs. Lauck and how often she says it in class, and I really like it. It seemed to be a way for Billy Pilgrim to find some comfort in that he had something to keep him going inside of his head, whether it was this or time travel. Prayer always helps in a time of need, and this one, a recurring piece in the book, seemed to do that for Billy.

Flashback- Chapter 9

Chapter nine was full of flashbacks from earlier in the book. Some included Wild Bob saying, " 'If you're ever in Cody, Wyoming..." (188), and when Billy flashed back to telling the Three Musketeers to go on without him. I think this had a lot to do with the fact that he was still recovering from the airplane crash and trying to find a way to cope with it, so he is mentally traveling through time again. This was also a chapter in which I started to figure out that the mental time travel was merely a coping device. He was not actually traveling through time as he did not have that ability, but his memories were so close to him that he could relive everything.

I Go Back

In chapter eight, Billy Pilgrim's struggle with the four men singing reminded me of a particular song that I heard growing up. "I Go Back" by Kenny Chesney is a song where he talks about how specific songs and music can make someone nostalgic or subconsciously remind them of something. In the beginning of this music video, he has voices in his head screaming at him simply because he heard a song that raddled his memory. This seems to be exactly what Billy was going through as he listened to the quartet. Also, a very important part of the song is when Chesney says that "We all have a song that somehow stamps our lives, takes us to another place in time." In addition to that, he obviously repeats the phrase, "Everytime I hear that song, I go back." This relates very well to Billy in that the singing of the quartet in somehow sparking his memory and he is struggling with it.

Internal Conflict- Chapter 8

The part of this chapter that stood out the most was the internal conflict that Billy faced whenever the quartet began singing. As Vonnegut explained, "The barbershop quartet sang again. Billy was emotionally racked again," (175). The effect that these four men had on him was indescribable. Suddenly, he began going through time in his minds as an illusion of his son in the bathroom showed up. For some reason, this group of four men singing had an effect on him and he didn't understand it. Valencia even commented that he looked like he had seen a ghost. Nevertheless, it was obvious that this was shaking him, and he could not figure it out.

Time Travel

With all of the time travel in chapter seven, I was reminded of an old series I used to read growing up about a kid who could travel back in time with baseball cards. He would also try to go back and change history, but was usually unsuccessful. When thinking about how these two relate, and this chapter in particular, it posed the question of whether or not history could actually be changed if time travel was real. While it sounds really "science-fictiony," it really got me thinking. Why couldn't Billy stop himself from getting on that plane with his father in-law? He knew it was going to crash. If free will really does not exist, then I understand. However, he had the option to not by the ticket or to go back and fake being sick. These things can change. It was a very important question involving the book that could never really be answered.

Motivation- Chapter 7

Chapter 7 is the one where I really began to question Billy Pilgrim's insanity. As he begins his trip to the optometry conference with his father in-law, he knows that the plane is about to get one will crash. This is where the insanity really stands out. It was hard to tell what his motivation was to get on the plane, because all he said was that he "didn't want to make a fool of himself," (154). Was getting on a plane that he knew was going to crash not making a fool of himself? This is where the idea of not having free will gets confusing. It seems that proving free will to be real is as easy as him walking out of the airport and going home. This would, in turn, prevent him from being on an air plane crash and all the "planned" events would change. The whole time I was reading this part, I just wanted to shake him and talk him out of getting on that plane. Oh well, so it goes.

Daily Consistency

Chapter six's look at the future death of Billy Pilgrim gave even more insight into what was playing into his thought process. When he came out and said that he "will die, ha[s] died, and always will die on February thirteenth, 1976," (141), it is showing that he can live his life as free as he wants. This is ironic, though, because he doesn't believe in free will. This thought process began to make me wonder in why he even saw a point in moving on with life. If he knew what was going to happen on a day-by-day basis, what was the point of even living anymore? This man knew what he was going to do every morning when he woke up. Thinking about how this would effect my life, I definitely wouldn't like it. He has to live through all of the bad days a second, third, and fourth time over. It would get old, and would not be an enjoyable life to live. Basically, all of this made me question whether life would be worth living if we were not given the privilege of free will.

Dynamic Character- Chapter 6

Starting in last chapter, readers really began to see Billy Pilgrim's character and personality change. In the way he has began to open up about his knowledge of time, he is becoming someone who wants to change the world rather than just someone who merely wants to survive the war and go home. At this point, he isn't even scared when Lazzaro begins to threaten him. This is most likely because the readers learned that "He [Billy] has seen his own death many times" (141). He described his death as someone shooting him in 1976 when he is giving a huge speech (again, more dynamic change where he is becoming confident) in Chicago at, presumably, Wrigley Field. These changes are allowing him to become more comfortable in whatever time is he currently living in, and giving him the ability to live stress-free in the war, not afraid of death.

Situational Irony- Chapter 5

In chapter 5, the irony comes when Billy Pilgrim is treated to a play, Cinderella. During the play, Billy begins to laugh uncontrollably into what even turns into a shriek. From there, he was taken into a mental hospital where he met with Edgar Derby, who was described by Billy on page 92 as "doomed." This is where the situational irony comes into play. Derby kept comforting Billy, but Billy was struggling with it because he knew how Derby was going to die. Eventually, he would be lined up in front of a firing squad and shot to death. There was nothing that Billy could do to stop this though, so he decided to live with it. After all, he was convinced that there is no such thing as free will and no event in time can be stopped.

Not another movie comparison

"This is your plan, and we are determined to keep it that way."

Chapter 5 also gave readers another look into what the Trafalmadorians are trying to explain to their newest attraction: Billy Pilgrim. This time, however, he decides to share his theories with the rest of the world. These new actions are starting to cause people to question his sanity, and the events that unfolded reminded me even more of the Adjustment Movie, which I have already talked about. Much like the quote below the video, this movie trailer is full of quotes that would be similar to what these aliens are preaching. Another is when one of these people say "You can't outrun your fate." These two works of literature are very similar in that they compare the idea of free will and downplay its mere existence.

Free Will

     The symbol to the bug in amber and whether or not free will even exists reminded me of this Matt Damon movie, one of my favorites, The Adjustment Bureau. For those that haven't seen it, the plot is based on an all-seeing person who holds a plan for everyone at their birth. No matter what decisions they make, the head-master and his workers, called "adjusters," go in and change things so the plan works out. Thus, the whole movie calls into question whether or not free will actually is present in the world, or if everything is simply predetermined.
     The Tralfamadorians also brought this question to the forefront of the novel in chapter four. When the alien simplified the whole world by stating that "[time] simply is," he was suggesting that no matter what decisions someone makes, their fate is predetermined (86). This is obviously a debate that goes way back, and would have a lot to do with someone's religious beliefs, but it can go either way with people. In the same way, Billy is struggling with how he sees time as he goes back and forth, and the constant weeping he does is showing that he is having a very hard time with it.

Symbolism- Chapter 4

   

     Chapter four was one in which readers saw more of what Tralfamadore is and how it effects who Billy Pilgrim is. The big symbol that came out of this was the alien telling Billy that everyone is just a bug "trapped in a blob of amber" (85). He went on to explain that this was a symbol implying that there is no such thing as free will, and said that Tralfamadorians see time much differently than humans do. He said that they see time as humans "might see a stretch of the Rocky Mountains" (85). This image, as a symbol, is a very strong one. Everyone has seen those blocks of amber in which bugs are stuck. Those only move as a human picks it up and strings it along, and that is what the alien is trying to explain.
     As he moves on in his explanation, he gets even more complex when he says, "All time is all time. It does not change. It does not lend itself to warnings or explanations. It simply is," (86). This is the point in which he denies that free will ever existed at all, and suggests that everything will happen no matter if one tries to prevent it or not. This also made me go back and think about Billy Pilgrim when he knew that he was going to be abducted by aliens, but did nothing to stop it. It almost seemed as if he had heard this explanation, and no matter what he did to try and avoid it, he was going to be abducted.

Moving Along

     Another part of chapter three that stood out was how dark it was as the captured Americans were suffering through the drudgery of their punishment as prisoners of war. With Wild Bob dying and suffering through pneumonia and Weary no longer showing off or bullying, everyone's demeanor had changed to one of fear and sadness. The image of Billy Pilgrim hobbling up and down on the long journey the Germans were forcing them all to go through was a depressing story. Vonnegut painted a clear, grey picture of all these Americans slowly moving towards their demise. Readers could feel the emotions of the American soldiers, and Vonnegut allowed them to sympathize with them.
     As they continued into the train, where they barely had any food to eat or water to drink, the same old, depressing story continued. At one point the train was even in the same spot for two consecutive days. It was obvious that everyone was suffering in this situation except for the hobo that Billy had become acquainted with who said this situation "...ain't so bad," (68). However, the part that seemed the most depressing for Billy was the end when it foreshadowed even more worse events for the main character. So it goes.

Antihero- Chapter 3

 
     Chapter three moved even more into what Billy Pilgrim was like and who he is exactly. Basically, he is set up as the , but is formed more into an antihero rather than someone who will actually go out and make an impact in the conflicts surrounding him. Through being captured and a prison of war, Billy is basically in a helpless situation in which he has no choice but to follow directions. However, he never even appeared as a threat to do so as Weary did. For example, when the German officers first searched him, "...the most dangerous thing they found on his person was a two-inch pencil stub," (54). In this war atmosphere, before anything happened with the abductions and aliens, he's painted by Vonnegut as basically an "Average Joe."
     Additionally, another point in which he appears to be out of control of every situation is when he weeps. The thing that struck me eventually was that this had been taking place throughout most of his life. He wept in his house and saw a doctor in the 1960s, and when he went back in time in the 1940s, he was weeping again. This weakness that Vonnegut showed in his character was another aspect of him being an anti-hero and just an Average Joe protagonist in this story.

The Three Musketeers

     Chapter two also included an introduction to Billy Pilgrim's adventures in World War II. Pilgrim walks around with no gun and no knife, but is fortunately picked up by two scouts and an antitank gunner named Roland Weary who has suffered through a horrific childhood. Being unpopular at home, most likely because of his obsession with torture and beating people up, he brought that chip on his shoulder with him to Germany. So, when he finally found two scouts that he liked working with and who seemingly liked to work with him two, he began to call them the Three Musketeers. Then, however, Billy Pilgrim showed up.
     At that point, Pilgrim did not really seem to care about whether or not he survived the war. Nevertheless, The Three Musketeers, but mostly Weary, took it upon themselves to care of him despite Pilgrim telling them many times to keep going without him. To me, it seems as if Weary's abandonment issues are leading him keep Pilgrim by his side at all times, even if he doesn't really like him. Countless number of times, Weary would remind Pilgrim how he saved his life. For example, after the marksman missed Billy on the second bullet, he reminded him again by saying, " 'Saved your life again, you dumb bastard,' " (34).
     In the end of the chapter, as all four of them were behind German lines, readers were again given a glimpse of the abandonment issues he suffers through. Weary, who dresses a lot like Randy from A Christmas Story (see the picture below), was again ditched by the two scouts. His reaction, which was placing all of the blame on Billy Pilgrim and beating him up in the creek, showed that this obviously affected him.

Characterization- Chapter 2

     After chapter one, when Vonnegut basically explained how this story came to be, chapter two consisted of introducing it and the main character, Billy Pilgrim. At first a normal, married optometrist with two children, Pilgrim was living a life full of success in the business world after spending time in Germany during World War II. However, after suffering through a plane crash later in his life, he saw a different side of the world.
    His life completely changed after he was the only one who survived this plane crash. His wife died while he was recovering from head injuries and soon after he was abducted by aliens that he described as "two feet high, and green, and shaped like plumber's friends," (26). However, these aliens, called Tralfamadorians,  had something different in their make-up, and that was that they could see in four dimensions. Vonnegut also explained that they pitied humans for only being able to see in three. Additionally, this fourth dimension gave them a view on death that differed significantly from that of humans. As Billy Pilgrim explained, " 'When a Tralfamadorian sees a corpse, all he thinks is that the dead person is in bad condition in that particular moment, but that the same person is just fine in plenty of other moments," (27).
     These events shaped Pilgrim into a different person, and through the characterization provided by Vonnegut in this chapter, readers learn what makes him so different. After his plane crash, Pilgrim gave up on business and began to talk and write letters about his experience with these foreign creatures. It is obvious that they changed his outlook on life. A man who was once an average, American citizen is now becoming what some people is crazy. But is he really crazy?
     It seems as though he has gained this fourth dimension through his travels through time and episodes with the Tralfamadorians. Billy Pilgrim seems to be a step ahead of everyone when he says "So it goes" every time  something bad happens in his life. It reminds me of a quote that was hanging up in Mr. Ray's room all year by Ralph Waldo Emerson that read "To be great is to be misunderstood." At this point, Pilgrim's stories are unbelievable, but maybe he is just a step ahead of everyone else.

Rome Wasn't Built in One Day

     Chapter 1 of Slaughterhouse Five was one that was very easy to relate with. This man who had experienced so much in his past wanted to document it, and understandably so. After all, this war was one of which many people have taken an interest in, and books like these tend to be read by a large audience. However, he was struggling to put those pieces together, and that is a situation everyone goes through at one point or another. It, at first, reminded me of sitting there with an SAT prompt, just beginning to think about what my side on the persuasion will be and what I'll back up my points with. Then, the story about using crayons and different colors to outline his thoughts was what really reminded me of beginning an essay on a standardized test, because it's taking a bunch of information already rolling through head and putting it on paper in a way that can't hurt. That constant beginning, changing your mind, and starting over was very relate-able, and his ballad on page three did a great job of portraying that:

"My name is Yon Yonson,

 I work in Wisconsin, 

I work in a lumbermill there, 

The people I meet when I walk down the street,

They say, 'What's your name?'

And I say,

'My name is Yon Yonson,

I work in Wisconsin...' " (3).

     This did a great job in helping to explain the hard work that goes into writing a good book like he wanted to. The planning took a long time for him to collect all of his thoughts and put every together. Eventually, after a long period of work, he was able to do just that. After all, Rome was not built in one day, right Lebron?

Point of View- Chapter 1

     The first chapter of Slaughterhouse Five was not a typical way to begin a book as Vonnegut tried to go back and tell the story of how this whole project came to be. In doing so, he laid out an outline with crayons on the back of wall-paper that he thought would help him put the pieces together. However, all it did for him was lay out what continued to be a significant amount of information that he was struggling to turn into a book. Eventually, though, he was able to do so and form a book that showcased his opinion on anti-war. That opinion is, in turn, where the point of view is so important. His stance against fighting war will be prevalent in telling the story of past wars in which he had experience in. Additionally, in the beginning, he tells how he has already began to tell people how cruel war is and to avoid it at all costs. "I have told my sons that they are not under any circumstances to take part in massacres," (19) Vonnegut explains. He also went on to explain that he also wanted to make sure they did not even work for companies that created materials for war. From the very beginning, Vonnegut's point of view is in the forefront of the novel, and he leads the readers to believe that it will continue to play a large part in the telling of this story.

This is my first post. RIP Ray Bradbury.