The Machine Image

   The imagery of "Lionel was a machine" implies that we as a society strive to do our best in our every day efforts. We tend to be machines as well, like Merble in Vonnegut's "Lionel was a machine. Tralfamadorians say that all creatures and plants in this Universe are machines."

Metaphoric Merble

       The literary term 'metaphor' serves as an example of Slaughterhouse Five: "Lionel was a machine. Tralfamadorians say that all creatures and plants in this Universe are machines."
   I read the quote and realized its importance the second time seeing it. Billy's father-in-law was a machine in a sense that he and other humans on Earth are prone to the similar activities and work habits.
   Lionel Merble is used to being an optometrist and looking at peoples' eyes every day. He is so good at what he does that the Tralfamadorians actually think he is a legitimate machine. Vonnegut could have said that Lionel was a dedicated worker. Instead, "Lionel was a machine" shows how truly focused he is on his work, "Tralfamadorians say that all creatures and plants in this Universe are machines" indicates that everyone on Earth is familiar with the same habits and/or actions.

Dresden Simile #2

   To me, the simile "it looked like a Sunday school image of Heaven to Billy" symbolizes how some people of today's society are able to find peace and comfort in the darkest of times as Pilgrim and the Americans did in Vonnegut's "...the prettiest city many of the U.S. army had ever seen. The sky was so detailed and strange. It looked like a Sunday school image of Heaven to Billy."

Simile of Dresden

   The literary term 'simile' serves as an example of Slaughterhouse Five: "...the prettiest city many of the U.S. army had ever seen. The sky was so detailed and strange. It looked like a Sunday school image of Heaven to Billy."
   I saw this quote's significance when I re-read it. Vonnegut uses a simile by making part of the war seem Heavenly and beautiful to the Americans. Even though Dresden is supposed to be wiped out within weeks, Billy still finds the city amazing.
   I found it interesting that he was able to take such an aweful moment and an aweful experience and make it great. The author could have said that the city was beautiful in the eyes of the Americans. Instead, "...the prettiest city many of the U.S. army had ever seen" shows how taken the Americans were with the Dresden, "The sky was so detailed and strange. It looked like a Sunday school image of Heaven to Billy" emphasizes the fact that he thinks the city is as wonderful as Heaven itself, even though he knows of Dresden soon destruction.

A Metaphoric Bubble #2

   The metaphor "air was trying to escape from the dead water" implies that people of this world today try to get out of difficult situations by thinking of happier times in their lives or by doing something else to get their mind off of the situation in Vonnegut's "the water had died. So it goes. Air was trying to escape from the dead water. Bubbles were grabbing onto the side of the glass, to weak to jump out."

A Metaphoric Bubble

   The literary term 'metaphor' serves as an example in Slaughterhouse Five: "The water had died. So it goes. Air was trying to escape from the dead water. Bubbles were grabbing onto the side of the glass, to weak to jump out."
   I read the quote and realized its importance the second time seeing it. The air tries to escape from the dead water in a sense that Billy wants to escape (at least via time travel) from the hospital.
   Billy is like that bubble trying to climb on the glass, but he is too sick to travel to another moment in time. Pilgrim feels dead in a sense that he cannot think of a different time in his life. Vonnegut could have said that the moment died as Billy attempted to escape from the scene. Instead, "the water died. So it goes. Air was trying to escape from the dead water" shows how it can be extremely difficult for Billy to concentrate on "traveling", "bubbles were grabbing onto the side of the glass, to weak to jump out" indicates that his brain was to tired to think of different, happier times.

Pilgrim's Time Travel

   To me, time travel is shown in "...the German Nazis flew up again..." because Billy's mind traveled backwards at the end of the film, allowing him to see a helpful Germany in Vonnegut's "above France, the German Nazis flew up again, and made every thing and person better."

Irony of Germany

   The literary term 'irony' serves as an example of Slaughterhouse Five: "Above France, the German Nazis flew up again, and made every thing and person better."
   I saw this quote's significance when I re-read it. Vonnegut uses irony by making it appear that Germany is helping all the people and armies around the world when really, the Nazis are the reason the world is terrorized.
   As Billy watches the movie, he realizes he would most likely have the perfect life if Germany had helped everyone. The author could have said that the Nazis came up from France again. Instead, "Above France, the German Nazis flew up again..." shows what could have been if the Nazis did not start WWII, "...and made every thing and person better" is used to emphasize that Hitler's army helped save millions of lives throughout the war.

Metaphoric Commander #2

   The metaphor "...the boots were his home..." implies that we as a society feel safe and deeply connected with the personal objects or surroundings in our daily lives in Vonnegut's "the commander's boots were almost the only thing he owned. The boots were his home... 'If you look in them closely, you will find Adam and Eve.'"

Metaphoric Commander

   The literary term 'metaphor' serves as an example of Slaughterhouse Five: "The commander's boots were almost the only thing he owned. The boots were his home... 'If you look in them closely, you will find Adam and Eve.'"
   I read the quote and realized its importance the second time seeing it. The German commander's golden boots are his home in a sense that he wears them everywhere he goes. He isn't in his legitiment home, so he acts as if the shoes take its place.
   The commander finds Adam and Eve in his boots because they are like paradise to him. It is said that home is the safest place. Knowing that Adam and Eve were bore from God may allow the German commander to feel safe knowing that he is safe. Vonnegut could have said the commander's boots were like his house and filled with safety. Instead, "the commander's boots were almost the only thing he owned. The boots were his home..." shows how the man was a poor soldier with boots as comforting to him as his home, "'if you look in them closely, you will find Adam and Eve'" indicates that his boots are like paradise to him, like the Garden of Ever was to Adam and Eve.   

Imagery

   To me, the image of "...put you in a home like Grandma" implies that Billy will soon be forced into a home due to his disfunctional brain in Vonnegut's "Dad, Dad, Dad-" said Barbara, "what are we supposed to do about you? Are we going to have to put you in a home like Grandma?"

Barbara's External Conflict

   The literary term 'external conflict' serves as an example of Slaughterhouse Five: "Dad, Dad, Dad-" said Barbara, "what are we supposed to do about you? Are we going to have to put you in a home like Grandma?"
   I saw this quotes significance when I re-read it. Vonnegut uses external conflict to show how and why Barbara and Billy argue. His daughter thinks that his belief of Tralfamadore is psychotic. He conflicts with her in a way to attempt to prove the Tralfamadorean creatures and the planet itself exist.
   Vonnegut tries to show a feeling of frustration within Billy. As I'm reading, it seems that Barbara is the one with her head on straight. The auther could have said that Barbara did not want her father to be in a home. Instead, "Dad, Dad, Dad-" said Barbara, "what are we supposed to do about you?" shows how she desperately wants to help her father, "Are we going to have to put you in a home like Grandma?" is used to emphasize that his crazy thoughts are going to force him in to an institution for the elderly.