I have only really liked three pieces of literature (not including poems) that I have read over my Greenhill Upper School career for my English classes. One was Elie Weisel’s Night. I stayed up until two in order to finish it. One was Death and the King’s Horseman, a play I read last year. Most of you probably didn’t like that one very much at all but for some reason it appealed to me. I can definitely add Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse Five to this list.
Not only was this book weird and quirky, it jumped around to the point of being incomprehensible. It was easy to hate Billy Pilgrim, with his cowardice and un-warlike attitude and physique (or so I imagined him). The end was frustrating and empty. I still loved the book—especially the part at the end when Derby is arrested and shot for stealing a teapot in the ruins of Dresden.
One of my favourite quotes out of the book was from the woman who served the American captives in Dresden before the bombing. On page 159, she comments on how unlike soldiers the three men in front of her appeared. When they respond, she says, “All the real soldiers are dead.” I thought this was one of the most revealing quotes about Vonnegut’s war story. Billy represents so many soldiers in WWII who are not the “ideal” soldier: the built, strong young man, and this woman is right. Most of the stereotypical soldiers have been killed, either because they are brave or because they are stupid—depending on your viewpoint.
The soldiers who do remain are weakened, and nothing like those in the Iliad. There is no place for Achilles, Agamemnon, or even Paris in this sort of a novel. I think Vonnegut is pointing out that war isn’t nearly as great as the classics would have you believe, and I think he proves it though Billy’s situation.
Kurt Vonnegut had several lines equally strong as this one; any other favourites, or ones you really thought didn’t belong?
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6 comments:
First, I should admit that I am not as far along in the novel as you are. With that being said, there have been some lines that I have particularly liked. I think Mr. Crotty introduced some really interesting ideas and lines. Like you say, this piece of literature is really cool. Vonnegut's true genius is his ability to reveal his anti-war ideas not only through his story, but through Billy and the story Billy makes. When tying the novel together, the true feat really becomes evident.
I think that the good soldiers have been killed because of people like Billy's inability to act. They must take it upon themselves to save their own lives and the lives around them and most likely going to be killed because of that. Also the book seemed a little too off beat for me to take it seriously. I mean, if you're going to try and stress an anti war message, there are easier ways to go about it than Tralfamadorians...
War is like death, it can take anybody. The rich, the poor, the strong, and the weak. Like you said, the war has already taken the strong and brake, and this is what was left, Billy. Maybe by his weakness he is still alive. He does not want to be in the line of fire. Like I talked about 2 posts ago, he might not know what he is fighting for. So if you are fighting for something you have no idea about, why would you put yourself in a situation to get yourself killed? Vonnegut could also be saying the ones who think and are not always the while night are the true survivors of war because they take more away from the experience then most could.
In today's armed forces, soldiers don't have to fit the stereotype to be successful. While in the past brawn usually triumphed, or had an advantage, over brain, it almost seems as if the two have switched roles. With the development of new weaponry, strategy has become a thousand times more important than it ever was, as Lee showed us in The Killer Angels. With this post I can't help to think of the World War II movie Saving Private Ryan. Those of you who have seen it know exactly what I'm talking about, but for those of you who haven't I will explain. Towards the end of the movie when the American troops are severely outnumbered by the Germans yet are still trying to maintain control of a key bridge, an American soldier who is a translator is thrust into battle. Instead of fighting he acts like a complete coward, not even helping when one of his own soldiers is being killed. When help arrives he is one of the few American soldiers left alive. He celebrates with the rest of the troops and even gets some Germans to surrender, taking credit for a stand that he had no part in. I dunno for some reason your post made me think of this.
I agree that it seems to be a new take on the whole "soldier idea" I also confess that I sort of think the quote is rather deep. "All the real soldiers are dead." It seems to beg the question of what a real soldier is. Is it one who survives to fight another day (assuming he isn't broken light Billy Pilgrim) or is it the one who goes out honorably defending his friends and country? I don't think I have an answer, but it seems like a good question.
I completely agree with you in that Slaughterhose-Five can be added to my short list of school books I've thoroughly enjoyed. Off the top of my head I can think of: The Great Gatsby, I'm a fan of most Shakespeare, and that's about it. As you say, I'm attracted to his quirky, unorthodox style. Usually I find an author's attempt to write in an unorthodox fashion annoying as it often seems forced. Vonnegut, on the other hand, writes in a way that has a very natural feel to it. He clearly depicts BIlly Pilgrim as a man who is mentally unstable and is having trouble coping with his past demons. Overall, I'm just a Kurt Vonnegut fan and Slaughterhouse-Five has only solidified that.
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