Before I began reading this story, I was concerned because I really wasn't a fan of the book Metamorphosis. To my surprise and great fortune, I am thoroughly enjoying Slaughterhouse-Five so far. I love how Vonnegut started the book from his life. He put his personal touch in it and gave us a sense of who he was as a person.
In the second chapter when Billy is talking about being abducted by aliens, I originally thought it was a ludicrous point to include in the story. But then I fell in love with a paragraph written by "Billy" about what he learned from the aliens:
"When a Tralfamadorian sees a corpse, all he thinks is that the dead person is in a bad condition in that particular moment, but that the same person is just fine in plenty of other moments. Now, when I myself hear that somebody is dead, I simply shrug and say what the Tralfamadorians say about dead people, which is 'So it goes.'"
The reason I love this so much is because everyone always mourns death and feels horrible about the situation. The matter of the fact is by that point there is nothing we can do about it. Instead of living in grief, we should remember all of the wonderful memories and moments of that person's life. All of the joy they brought others and all of the fun they had while alive. I had always heard about people saying stuff like, "I want my funeral to be a celebration, not a day of tears," and I thought they were crazy. Why would they want people happy at the time they passed away. But while reading this book I have understood where that feeling could come from. I, too, now want people to not neccessarily celebrate at my funeral, but smile. Knowing that I am okay at that point and had a great life with lots of lovely experiences and hundreds of amazing people. I want them to continue to remember me in all of my great moments and not be blinded by my "bad condition."
Ending of Caucasia
17 years ago
7 comments:
I like this book too. I agree with many of your points on how the book was written. His personal life explains most of the things in the story. I would want my funernal to be a celebration too. This a great blog.
Good point Kristi. I like it. I also greatly enjoyed that paragraph. I'd hate to think what the aliens think of a terrible condition if death is just a bad one though.
Keep up the good work!
-andexp
Now that you put it that way I like that paragraph. I also want my death to be a party because I want peole to remember the good the bad and everything in between. Remeber the times that we shared together and not be sad at my passing.
I totally agree with you on this one Kristi..i wasn't so sure about the book at first but after chapter 3 and 4 i can see why it's loved by so many. His writing is really like no other...And as for the point about making a funeral a celebration of life, i know exactly what you mean. My aunt wants us to celebrate her filling life she lived, once she's gone. I thought she was crazy at the time, but after a while of thinking about it and reading those chapters, i can understand that it's just a part of life, and we can't change it, so make it a happy time!
I completely agree about the funeral thing. I don't want to cause people sadness and greif when I pass, I couldn't help it after all (I assume). I'd rather have people celebrate my life if anything. And yeah, this book pretty damn awesome.
I also agree. Kristi, I think if we wrote books this is what they would be like. lol. But i LOVED taht paragraph, and high lighted the whole thing. The man might be loony but the aliens are brilliant.
I also really liked that same paragraph. I am begining to think that the obduction abduction could be a big metaphor for the war or something.
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