Time passes and things happen. A brief introduction to who Billy Pilgrim is and was. His parents, fiancee, children and work. His life. So it goes. In the previous chapter we were told the story of a middle aged man looking to remember what happened in Dresden from a soldier's point of view, in order to write a book about it. Now, we are expected to believe that it was not an episode important enough to be mentioned in this quick overview of his life. Everything we thought we knew about Billy during the war is now contradicted. According to this chapter, Billy had no friends during his service, nor did he ever bear arms and attack the enemy. He was just a chaplains assistant, who had a "meek faith in a loving Jesus". Does this mean Bernard V. O'Hare doesn't exist? Unlike before, in the beginning of this chapter Billy Pilgrim is described as a man who went crazy after his wife's death and flight accident. Having been the only man to visit the alien planet of Tralfamadore, he retires after the plane crash and dedicates his time to telling his wondrous tale. The teachings of the Tralfamadorians are passed on to the humans as the "truth about time" is divulged in a talkshow in New York City. So it goes.The mixed up primary events of the story confuse me, but I have to admit that I like this better, and I can't wait to find out what the next chapter will be about. Will it all be like this? Like puzzle pieces that will in the end fit together to show the life of the true Billy Pilgrim? Maybe when the time is ripe, we will all come tu understand the purpose of this book. Only when the time is ripe.
I admire how you question and doubt the existence of Billy Pilgrim and his character. Not only have you brought up the question of his reality, however you have extracted the idea of this protagonist being a deceiver. The way you have pointed out how Billy seems to play three different people in his book makes readers realize he isn't just another writer who will tell his life's story. Pilgrim might have a secret. What does this secret entail, and how will it affect our perception of Billy Pilgrim?
ReplyDeleteIts very interesting how you question the connection between Billy Pilgrim and Bernard V. O'Hare. I hadn't really speculated this relationship, which I am now curious about. I like how you seem anxious about the rest of the book and the truth to Billy Pilgrim's identity as well as his story.
ReplyDeleteThe last paragraph of your entry is to me the most interesting because I can relate to it. I also wonder if the whole book will be that way and in my blog post I wrote something similar. I love the question you pose about the relationship between Billy Pilgrim and Bernard V. O'Hare. Like Gabriela Buraglia I didn't think about that until you mentioned it but I am now thuroughly curious. I really like your blog entry and I think it's very well written
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