Slaughter House -Five

Poo-tee-weet?

writingstudio11hotch — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 22:51:00 +0000

Yep. Don’t bother looking at the back of the book, because the last word is right up there. I finished it last week but my computer got some trojans so I couldn’t exactly post anything. It was a good book, but really disjointed and at times confusing.

Anyway. Pete- we can talk of book now yes? And yes I’m starting a thread like this.

Dear Group

kacieknockout — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 13:38:03 +0000

Dear group,

My name is Roland Wearly, and i’m only eight-teen years old. I grew up in Pittburgh Pennsylvania for a good part of my life. I never was popular, and i’ve never had alot of friends either. Everytime i’m supposed to hangout with someone who calls themself my friend they ditch me. It really makes me sick to think about. People say im fat and mean. I don’t think i’m fat, just chunky. People have always told me that i smell like bacon. I think that they are implying that im fat, and pig like. I can see where they are coming from I guess because sometimes i think i smell like bacon too. Maybe they arn’t calling me a pig, who knows? I wash and wash and that smell never leaves me. To make myself feel better I find kids who are less popular than me, and im the best friend they could have, until I find a simple little reason to beat the crap out of them. I think i’m sick in the head for doing this to people, but it makes me feel better. I think i’m like this because i grew up around a creep(my father) He collects torture instruments, and leg irons,etc. Sometimes my dad gives me instruments to keep for myself, and i brag about it to everyone.

An Englishman

writingstudio11hotch — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 19:26:45 +0000

These Americans came into the camp some time ago, and they leave for Dresden tomorrow. I can’t say I’ll miss them at all, pitiful souls they are. They came disheveled and poor on a German freight train, and we provided beds and a feast for them, the latter which they promptly ejected from their bellies in all of the most groteque methods.

We English in the camp have dedicated our time to the upkeep of our personal beings, while these American soldiers are dressed in what seems like sewn rags. They are unshaven and unwashed and many are so dirty that their pasty skin is hardly noticeable. We afforded them our hospitality and now I am glad to see them leave. I hope Dresden burns, personally, but I do not say this to the miserable prisoners.

Somewhere a large dog barked…

writingstudio11z — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 00:24:43 +0000

So I finished the book today, went from page 78 to done.

I forgot how much I loved this book, and how good of a read it was.

There are so many things that could be taken to a completely new level based on the reader’s own views on the meaning. I would hate to ruin anything for the people that aren’t as far as others, but anyone reading this that wants to talk about it, message me or something and we can discuss views and opinions.

So it goes.

-Z

<3

kacieknockout — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 13:29:31 +0000

I’m still on page like 60, because my book sits in my car. I always forget to take it out to read.

Does the book get better, or not?

writingstudio11z — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 22:21:42 +0000

The ideas within this book are something to really think about I believe. The idea that death does not exsist, but rather that a person is always alive in another time, that is an ideology that sits well for me. Also the statement by the Tralfamadorian about Free-will being nothing but an illusion, that every person does what they do for some reason and that they have no overall choice of their actions. This brings in fate as an idea shown in this book, and that fate is all we are, at the core of our original human interface, we are all set to do what we are set to do. Some may disagree with this, some may agree strongly; but neither may be right.

The themes and ideologies within this book are astounding, and with still 3/4 of the book left, I am excited to find the remaining pieces to this ideological puzzle within.

So it goes.

-Z

119

writingstudio11hotch — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 19:58:24 +0000

I think I understand this book now. Or at least better than I did before. I think it was written like the Tralfamadorian books, where there’s a series of memories and images and events that don’t necessarily have an order, but they create a pleasing experience when they all amass in our heads. When I finish the book, I’ll probably see it all in a timeline, from Billy’s youth with the cross on his wall, to the end of the universe, in the way that Vonnegut described it.

It all makes sense, really; there are so many stories you could tell with so many beginnings or endings, but when you look at a certain group of events from certain perspectives, that’s just one story, and even that could be told in endless ways. Therefore a book is just one interpretation of events the way the author likes it.

I’m also finding that I have to stop reading after every ten pages or so, because there’s just so much to understand that it takes me a while to really know what’s going on. If I wasn’t grounded I would probably hate this book because I wouldn’t have time to read it, even though it’s only 215 pages. It’s just packed with ideas and revelations, and Vonnegut didn’t write a page without something interesting or funny. I think the man was one of those geniuses that everyone thinks is a mental case. Well, that’s all I have to say. Till next time.

-Hotchkiss

Page 80

writingstudio11hotch — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 23:09:37 +0000

That’s how far I am. It looks like Billy Pilgrim is the main character so far, and he doesn’t have a very nice life. I guess Vonnegut has fun making his characters miserable in psych wards and war, and in a zoo on Tralfamadore. I kind of like this approach, because it brings drama to the story and makes it interesting, but at the same time, the satire and sarcasm in the book counteracts this drama, making it very entertaining just in the style. When you add the strange plot twists and the sci-fi element to it, the book is a masterpiece in my eyes. I often have to put it down and think on what I read. It’s still hard for me to capture the idea of seeing in the fourth dimension, and I doubt I’ll ever understand it completely.

I like the metaphors and parallels, too, especially when Billy reads a book that sounds a lot like his journey. Also, when he realizes that his job is based on the idea that people’s lives will be less wretched if they can see better is an interesting relation to the Tralfamadorians ability of sight.

Anyway, I think I’ve gone on enough to meet the requirement for posting. Till next time

-Andrew H.

It’s very silly for a person to cry at a funeral

writingstudio11hotch — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 22:00:17 +0000

     Haha I love that! This Billy Pilgrim guy has a hard life, in my opinion. The whole ability of the Tralfamadorians to see in the fourth dimension is pretty cool, and it made me wonder about things we could never understand. I think I got confused in the first chapter too, because the whole book seems like a letter to me now, given that I’m only up to page fifty. Vonnegut makes a lot of mind-boggling assertions about life, of which some of them seem ridiculous if you stop to ponder them. Apart from these laughable philosophies, his characters are very realistic and cynical.
     Alright, here goes; I’m going to try and start my first thread.
    (Holds breath)
    What do you guys think about the whole fourth dimension idea and seeing through time? I think it’s possible, except I don’t understand how life would go on while you’re looking at the past. Any input?

Intro

writingstudio11hotch — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 19:04:08 +0000

I love how Kurt Vonnegut uses first person for the start of the book. I’ve tried to write in first person, and it’s hard to use ‘I’ and speak from a character’s perspective instead of your own. Particualrly, I like the way he introduces the book as a memory of the war and says he’s changed the names etc.
The ten page letter in it was good, too. There’s a lot of sarcasm and satire in it, the kind of dry humor I love. That’s as far as I read, but I think I’ll really like this book.