Slaughterhouse 5 Chapter 4 & 5

Why do the other POWs refuse to let Billy sleep near them?

The reason why the other POWs refuse to let Billy sleep near them in Slaughterhouse Five is because he kicks, whimpers, and yells in his sleep.

Is there a similarity between the format of Vonnegut's novel and the description of Tralfamadorian novels? Explain.

-not in chronological order, meant to show all of a life not just parts -"There is no beginning, no middle, no end, no suspense, no moral, no causes, no effects."

In his novel, The Gospel from Outer Space, what does Kilgore Trout say is the message of the gospels? How do the aliens change that message?

...

What does Billy do to occupy his time before the aliens come?

Before the aliens come, Billy watches a late-night documentary on American bombers and their gallant pilots in World War II to occupy his time.

What do the Tralfamadorians suggest Earthlings should learn to do?

They suggest that the Earthlings should learn to ignore the awful times, and concentrate one the good ones. In the book, the Tralfamadorians say, " That's one thing Earthlings might learn to do, if they tried hard enough..." (Vonnegut 117)

How do the Tralfamadorians when Billy asks "why me?"

They think it's a very earthling thing for him to say. They tell him that there is no why, since the moment simply is and since all of them are trapped in the moment, like bugs in amber.

What does the way Tralfamadorians view the universe and Earthlings tell us about their concept of time?

Tralfamadorians see all of time at once and it's never ending. They don't believe in free will because they think everything has already happened in the 4th dimension.

What does Weary tell the other men in his car before he dies?

Weary tells the other man to avenge his death by killing Billy.

Describe Billy's habitat in the Tralfamadorian zoo.

His habitat in the Tralfamadorian zoo looked like a house in a magazine or a display in the store. There was a couch that turned into a bed, pool table, home bar, and end tables with lamps. The TV didn't work, but a picture of a cowboy killing another cowboy pasted on the television tube.

Why does the widowed mother think Billy is "going crazy?"

He talks about Tralfamadore when no one else believes is true

What does Campbell write about American POWs in Germany?

Basically, Campbell writes that people in America are poor and those poor people hate themselves. Those people who have no money, blame themselves for that. He says that there is no fraternity between the soldiers and that American POWs are childish and self-pitying.

Describe the English POWs that Billy and the Americans encounter

Billy and his group encounter a group of singing prisoners after being dog-tagged by the Germans. They are a healthy looking group of men that the Germans appreciated because they look like true Englishmen. They are fit, they have food and lots of shelter, and they are even having a great time and singing. What is interesting is that they look just like what the author describes in the beginning of the book when he mentions how movies make out war to be glamorous and soldiers to be handsome heroes who always triumph.

How does the message of the war movie change when it is viewed backwards?

By watching the war in the opposite direction, it takes on the opposite meaning. World War II was an unbelievably violent, traumatic, and destructive moment in history, but when watched backwards it is transformed into a period of intense healing and care giving. In reverse, soldiers and pilots no longer belong to conflicting groups but to humanity as a whole; they no longer try to kill each other. Instead, they choose to help each other, resulting in the whole human race working together to ease suffering.

What commemoration does Billy think of on his wedding night?

Everything was beautiful, and nothing hurt

Why is Billy upset by his mother?

In the novel the following is stated, "She made him feel embarrassed and ungrateful and weak because she had gone to so much trouble to give him life, and to keep that life going, and Billy didn't really like life at all." (Vonnegut 102) Billy is upset with his mother simply because she is his mother.

What is introduced to Billy in the veterans' hospital?

Kilgore Trout books

Why does science fiction appeal to Billy and Rosewater?

Science fiction appeals to Billy and Rosewater because it is an escape from the reality of their lives into a new world. It also helps them try to re-invent themselves and their universe

What processes do the Americans go through when they arrive at the camp?

The Americans give their names and serial numbers so that they can be reported to the Red Cross. After this, they are marched to sheds occupied by middle-aged British POWs.

How is Billy lifted into the flying saucer?

The saucer hovered over Billy, and to enclose him in a cylinder of pulsing in purple light. Now there was the sound of a seeming kiss as an air tight hatch in the bottom of the saucer was opened. Down snaked a ladder that was outlined in pretty lights like a Ferris wheel. Billy's will was paralyzed by a zap gun aimed at him from one of the portholes. It became imperative that he take hold of the bottom rung of the sinuous ladder, which he did. The rung was electrified, so that Billy's hands locked onto it hard. He was hauled into the airlock, and machinery closed the bottom door.

Why do the British POWs send Billy to the hospital shed?

he had a nervous breakdown during Cinderella

What was the main ingredient of the candles and soap used at the welcoming dinner for the American POWS?

the "fat of rendered Jews and Gypsies and fairies and communists, and other enemies of the State."