"Billy again enrolled in the Ilium school of Optometry." Page 24
Throughout the novel, sight is a subject hit upon again and again. Billy becomes an optometrist. This in itself is not so unusual. However, we learn that Billy experienced horrible sights during the war and his time as a p.o.w. of the Germans. Additionally, the Tralfamadorians taught him many things about sight. Because they saw in the fourth dimension, they explained to Billy that what they saw was the existence of all time. There was no today and tomorrow, since everything was visible to them. Additionally, they explained to Billy that his perspective was limited, so he began to see the world the way they did, with no perspective of time or consequence.
Monday, April 23, 2012
Slaughterhouse 5: Kurt as Narrator
"I was there. So was my old war buddy, Bernard V. O'Hare." Page 67
Throughout the novel, we see little glimpses of the character of the author, Kurt Vonnegut. Aside from the first chapter, the quote above is a small interjection from the author as narrator of the story. This helps the reader to remember that the experiences of Billy in the war, though not exactly like Kurt's, were very similar. The issues he writes about are reality, not entirely fiction. This helps to bind him to the story and the events that happened to him during the firebombing of Dresden. After this connection that Vonnegut shares with the readers is established, he goes on with the story, until he gently reminds his audience once again that he lived these events, he felt these emotions, and he saw the destruction at Dresden.
Throughout the novel, we see little glimpses of the character of the author, Kurt Vonnegut. Aside from the first chapter, the quote above is a small interjection from the author as narrator of the story. This helps the reader to remember that the experiences of Billy in the war, though not exactly like Kurt's, were very similar. The issues he writes about are reality, not entirely fiction. This helps to bind him to the story and the events that happened to him during the firebombing of Dresden. After this connection that Vonnegut shares with the readers is established, he goes on with the story, until he gently reminds his audience once again that he lived these events, he felt these emotions, and he saw the destruction at Dresden.
Slaughterhouse 5: "So it goes."
"While Billy was recuperating in a hospital in Vermont, his wife died accidentally of carbon-monoxide poisoning. So it goes." Page 25
The repetition of this phrase throughout the novel, every time someone dies, creates a sort of nonchalant attitude towards death. This is fitting in a novel centered around the horrors and destruction of war. Billy's perspective of death as just another event that occurs in time takes the edge off of his life. The reader never feels that Billy is in any real imminent danger, being as they know he lives past the war. This displays Billy's character as one of peacefulness, which sharply juxtaposes the harsh realities and dangers of war throughout the novel. The presence of death is often noted, though rarely heeded, throughout the novel. This also helps the reader to follow the Tralfamadorian tendencies of accepting death as one part of a reality, in which life is just as present.
The repetition of this phrase throughout the novel, every time someone dies, creates a sort of nonchalant attitude towards death. This is fitting in a novel centered around the horrors and destruction of war. Billy's perspective of death as just another event that occurs in time takes the edge off of his life. The reader never feels that Billy is in any real imminent danger, being as they know he lives past the war. This displays Billy's character as one of peacefulness, which sharply juxtaposes the harsh realities and dangers of war throughout the novel. The presence of death is often noted, though rarely heeded, throughout the novel. This also helps the reader to follow the Tralfamadorian tendencies of accepting death as one part of a reality, in which life is just as present.
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Frankenstein: Creature Reflection
"I am content to suffer alone" Page 165
I find myself confused as to whether the creature is good or bad. You had mentioned in class how Shelley intentionally did this. At times, I hate the creature, such as in the cemetery when Victor was mourning and it laughed in his hear. It laughed. I would have killed it right there. Yet when I think about it, I cannot help but wonder if it was conditioned to be evil. It had only witnessed, never experienced, love or compassion from anything in its miserable life. If you were hated by all, would you not turn evil? My final confusion as to whether or not I like the creature happened when, upon the death of Victor, it mourned for him. It cried because of what it had done, and had a final repentance for the deeds of its life. I found myself wanting to forgive it, even though it was the cause of Victor's death.
Also, random question. What the heck happened to Ernest? Is he still alive?
I find myself confused as to whether the creature is good or bad. You had mentioned in class how Shelley intentionally did this. At times, I hate the creature, such as in the cemetery when Victor was mourning and it laughed in his hear. It laughed. I would have killed it right there. Yet when I think about it, I cannot help but wonder if it was conditioned to be evil. It had only witnessed, never experienced, love or compassion from anything in its miserable life. If you were hated by all, would you not turn evil? My final confusion as to whether or not I like the creature happened when, upon the death of Victor, it mourned for him. It cried because of what it had done, and had a final repentance for the deeds of its life. I found myself wanting to forgive it, even though it was the cause of Victor's death.
Also, random question. What the heck happened to Ernest? Is he still alive?
Frankenstein: Foil Character
"I come back ignorant and disappointed." Page 160
Walton, although very similar to Frankenstein, acts as a foil to him in the story. Unlike Frankenstein, who was incredibly driven to reach his goal, Walton quits at the first sign of trouble from his crew. Victor was obsessed with reaching the end of his quest for knowledge. He put aside all relations, not even bothering to write back to his loved ones in his focused work to achieve his goal. Walton certainly writes to his sister often. Additionally, he shows a lack of stomach when he surrenders to the will of his crew. This leaves Walton with the image of being either not as driven in his desire for greatness, or perhaps too conservative to let the passion consume him. Either way, he certainly learns the dangers of the pursuit when he looks upon the dead body of Frankenstein.
Walton, although very similar to Frankenstein, acts as a foil to him in the story. Unlike Frankenstein, who was incredibly driven to reach his goal, Walton quits at the first sign of trouble from his crew. Victor was obsessed with reaching the end of his quest for knowledge. He put aside all relations, not even bothering to write back to his loved ones in his focused work to achieve his goal. Walton certainly writes to his sister often. Additionally, he shows a lack of stomach when he surrenders to the will of his crew. This leaves Walton with the image of being either not as driven in his desire for greatness, or perhaps too conservative to let the passion consume him. Either way, he certainly learns the dangers of the pursuit when he looks upon the dead body of Frankenstein.
Frankenstein: The Fall of Knowledge
"Thus my hopes are blasted by cowardice and indecision." Page 160
Just three days after the writing of this letter, Victor falls ill and dies. Thus, he loses his life to his battle with the spawn of knowledge. Soon after, the creature, upon seeing Victor dead, decides to kill itself. Again, its thirst for the knowledge of love and want has tainted it, rendering it an evil and moral-less murderer. This evil within the creature leads to decisions that it later cannot live with, thus acting as its own destruction. Walton's cowardly crew refuses to continue on the voyage, ending his quest for knowledge of the unknown. The theme of the beginning of the novel, which was 'beware of the pursuit of knowledge', never reverses itself. In fact, the warning is shown to be followed through with. All quests for knowledge end in heartbreak and sorrow.
Just three days after the writing of this letter, Victor falls ill and dies. Thus, he loses his life to his battle with the spawn of knowledge. Soon after, the creature, upon seeing Victor dead, decides to kill itself. Again, its thirst for the knowledge of love and want has tainted it, rendering it an evil and moral-less murderer. This evil within the creature leads to decisions that it later cannot live with, thus acting as its own destruction. Walton's cowardly crew refuses to continue on the voyage, ending his quest for knowledge of the unknown. The theme of the beginning of the novel, which was 'beware of the pursuit of knowledge', never reverses itself. In fact, the warning is shown to be followed through with. All quests for knowledge end in heartbreak and sorrow.
Frankenstein: Slave and Master
"You are my creator, but I am your master- obey!" Page 122
In his creation of the monster, Victor is its assumed master. The creature itself claims that he considered Victor his God, and itself Adam. Yet the situation changes, as the creature points out above. Victor feels himself "chained", "imprisoned" and "contained" by his promise to create another female monster. He is bound by his love for his family. However, at the end of the novel, when the creature is in the cabin with Victor's body, it weeps for its "master and creator". This confusing part of the situation, as well as the creatures intense sadness at the death of Frankenstein, creates a strenuous relationship between creature and master that is never fixed, and constantly changed throughout. The reader sees a continuous cycle of pity and compassion between these two beings, followed by hatred and vengeance, malicious intents and then back to pity and sympathy.
In his creation of the monster, Victor is its assumed master. The creature itself claims that he considered Victor his God, and itself Adam. Yet the situation changes, as the creature points out above. Victor feels himself "chained", "imprisoned" and "contained" by his promise to create another female monster. He is bound by his love for his family. However, at the end of the novel, when the creature is in the cabin with Victor's body, it weeps for its "master and creator". This confusing part of the situation, as well as the creatures intense sadness at the death of Frankenstein, creates a strenuous relationship between creature and master that is never fixed, and constantly changed throughout. The reader sees a continuous cycle of pity and compassion between these two beings, followed by hatred and vengeance, malicious intents and then back to pity and sympathy.
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