Kurt Vonnegut
Chapter #6 (pg. 135-153
As I began reading this chapter it took no time before I came up with something that stood out from the novel. It was just the first word which came to my attention. “Listen: Billy Pilgrim says he went to Dresden, Germany on the day after his morphine night…” (pg. 136) When reading this simple sentence I noticed it started like no other, what was the narrator trying to do? Did he mean listen, as in pay attention? Could that phrase have an extremely important meaning? Otherwise, why would he emphasize on it?
Immediately we are introduced to the hospital for prisoners of war, were Billy lies next to Paul Lazzaro and Edgar Derby. Billy suddenly wakes up “But it wasn’t the cold that had awakened Billy. It was animal magnetism which was making him shiver and itch.” (pg. 136) What could this magnetism be about? Could it just be an illusion? If it were really a feeling what could it mean and were did it come from? Billy continues sensing this force until he reaches into his coat and feels two lumps on it; moreover he doesn’t reach to see what they are sensing that they could do miracles for him if he could hold his curiosity.
Moments later the man who injured Lazzaro (The Blue Fairy Godmother) entered the room, and after a few minutes of being there a discussion breaks between Paul and him. “You made a big mistake, said Lazzaro. Anybody touches me, he better kill me, or I’m gonna have him killed.” (pg. 138) The Blue Fairy Godmother answers, “There is still time for me to kill you.” (pg. 138) and leaves the room. Straight away Lazzaro goes nuts, and begins cursing. He even talks about a time in which he tortures a dog, just because it tried to bit him. He says, “It’s the sweetest thing (revenge) there is, said Lazzaro. People fuck with me, he said, and Jesus Christ are they ever fucking sorry. I laughed like hell. I don’t care if it’s a guy or a dame. If the President of the United States fucked around with me, id fix him good.” (pg. 138-139) This just comes to show the negative effects of war on people and how they grow with anger and resentment inside of them, converting them into violent people, such as with Paul.
As I continued reading I came up with something Pilgrim said which completely stunned me. He said that many years ago, “A certain man promised to have me killed. He is an old man now, living not far from here. He has read all the publicity associated with my appearance in your fair city. He is insane. Tonight he will keep his promise.” (pg. 142) I couldn’t believe that Billy knew how and when he was going to die and talked so calmly about it, he didn’t do anything regarding it. Could it be that he has began to believe in Trafalmadore theory’s and thinks death is just a moment? Or since he is so unenthusiastic about life, he could also act this way because he doesn’t care. I believe it’s my first prediction since he later states: “… and it is time for me to be dead for a little while – and then live again.” (pg. 143)
Something that also called my attention was how an Englishmen “was marking the boundary between the American and English sections of the compound. Billy and Lazzaro and Derby didn’t have to ask what the line meant. It was a familiar symbol from childhood.” (pg. 144) Why did he mean by this? Was he trying to say that racial/national differences were noticeable since they were young? Were restrictions placed on them since kids?
As well as answering several questions and being the inspiration of many more, what I consider to be very important, was that I finally understood why the book was titled the way it is. At the end we can see how they arrive to Dresden and as they are told to memorize their address in case they got lost, we can see “The address was this: Schlachthoffunf. Schlachthof meant slaughterhouse. Funf was good old five.” (pg. 153)
Immediately we are introduced to the hospital for prisoners of war, were Billy lies next to Paul Lazzaro and Edgar Derby. Billy suddenly wakes up “But it wasn’t the cold that had awakened Billy. It was animal magnetism which was making him shiver and itch.” (pg. 136) What could this magnetism be about? Could it just be an illusion? If it were really a feeling what could it mean and were did it come from? Billy continues sensing this force until he reaches into his coat and feels two lumps on it; moreover he doesn’t reach to see what they are sensing that they could do miracles for him if he could hold his curiosity.
Moments later the man who injured Lazzaro (The Blue Fairy Godmother) entered the room, and after a few minutes of being there a discussion breaks between Paul and him. “You made a big mistake, said Lazzaro. Anybody touches me, he better kill me, or I’m gonna have him killed.” (pg. 138) The Blue Fairy Godmother answers, “There is still time for me to kill you.” (pg. 138) and leaves the room. Straight away Lazzaro goes nuts, and begins cursing. He even talks about a time in which he tortures a dog, just because it tried to bit him. He says, “It’s the sweetest thing (revenge) there is, said Lazzaro. People fuck with me, he said, and Jesus Christ are they ever fucking sorry. I laughed like hell. I don’t care if it’s a guy or a dame. If the President of the United States fucked around with me, id fix him good.” (pg. 138-139) This just comes to show the negative effects of war on people and how they grow with anger and resentment inside of them, converting them into violent people, such as with Paul.
As I continued reading I came up with something Pilgrim said which completely stunned me. He said that many years ago, “A certain man promised to have me killed. He is an old man now, living not far from here. He has read all the publicity associated with my appearance in your fair city. He is insane. Tonight he will keep his promise.” (pg. 142) I couldn’t believe that Billy knew how and when he was going to die and talked so calmly about it, he didn’t do anything regarding it. Could it be that he has began to believe in Trafalmadore theory’s and thinks death is just a moment? Or since he is so unenthusiastic about life, he could also act this way because he doesn’t care. I believe it’s my first prediction since he later states: “… and it is time for me to be dead for a little while – and then live again.” (pg. 143)
Something that also called my attention was how an Englishmen “was marking the boundary between the American and English sections of the compound. Billy and Lazzaro and Derby didn’t have to ask what the line meant. It was a familiar symbol from childhood.” (pg. 144) Why did he mean by this? Was he trying to say that racial/national differences were noticeable since they were young? Were restrictions placed on them since kids?
As well as answering several questions and being the inspiration of many more, what I consider to be very important, was that I finally understood why the book was titled the way it is. At the end we can see how they arrive to Dresden and as they are told to memorize their address in case they got lost, we can see “The address was this: Schlachthoffunf. Schlachthof meant slaughterhouse. Funf was good old five.” (pg. 153)
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