When a tragedy occurs, it has the power to provoke many different types of responses. Some people mourn a great amount, some go into a state of denial, and others may speak up and tackle it. In Slaughterhouse-Five, author Kurt Vonnegut introduces Billy Pilgrim as someone who was affected by the bombing of Dresden, and someone who is taken by Tralfamadorians (an alien species) to talk to him about their theories of time. There are many ways to react to a catastrophe, but the author emphasizes the significance of confronting it, and Billy Pilgrim does just that. This American classic anti-war novel is relevant to today because it puts a focus on the different reactions to tragic events that both Billy Pilgrim and real world people share; cognitive,
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He was nearly killed in a plane crash, his wife died, and he had to endure the bombings and death that came with war. Based on the following quote that the author has written, it is clear that Billy’s emotions are out of order. Vonnegut writes “Billy is spastic in time, has no control over where he is going next, and the trips aren't necessarily fun. He is in a constant state of stage fright, he says, because he never knows what part of his life he is going to have to act in next” (Vonnegut, 23). Loss of control, vulnerability, fear, and panic are all emotional reactions to a tragedy (Brown University). As explained in the quote, Billy suffers from all of these things. This type of reaction is very relevant to today, especially when the situation involves a catastrophic event. In a very recent tragedy, Hurricane Harvey, there have been many emotional reactions taking place. On August 25th, 2017, torrential rain, hail, flooding, and high winds occurred in Texas. Those who have been affected are described as being “scared out of [their] minds,” “extremely helpless,” and “dealing with a great amount of despair” (Astor). Some people are also feeling very angry with the event that occurred. These descriptors all point to an emotional reaction, similar to what Billy went through in the …show more content…
Billy is weak and often moving slower than the other soldiers. He gives up easily as well. Vonnegut writes “... Billy wouldn't do anything to save himself. Billy wanted to quit. He was cold, hungry, embarrassed, incompetent. He could scarcely distinguish between sleep and wakefulness now... he wished everybody would leave him alone. ‘You guys go on without me’ he said again and again” (Vonnegut, 34). Billy’s lack of energy and weakness are both physical reactions that he is having because of the tragedies he has gone through. This type of reaction is common in the real world as well, and an example is a car accident. Although millions of accidents occur every year, a specific example is on August 16th, 2017, when two people were seriously injured after a pair of vehicles collided in New York City. Both of the people involved in the crash survived, but it is noted that they are now going through some physical effects of the tragedy (Prendergast). Those include the same difficulties Billy dealt with; weakness, feeling shaky, and wanting to give up. These alike feelings that Billy and real people share are signs of a physical reaction. A tragedy can affect you in many different ways, but it can be extremely difficult to get past the physical
He was nearly killed in a plane crash, his wife died, and he had to endure the bombings and death that came with war. Based on the following quote that the author has written, it is clear that Billy’s emotions are out of order. Vonnegut writes “Billy is spastic in time, has no control over where he is going next, and the trips aren't necessarily fun. He is in a constant state of stage fright, he says, because he never knows what part of his life he is going to have to act in next” (Vonnegut, 23). Loss of control, vulnerability, fear, and panic are all emotional reactions to a tragedy (Brown University). As explained in the quote, Billy suffers from all of these things. This type of reaction is very relevant to today, especially when the situation involves a catastrophic event. In a very recent tragedy, Hurricane Harvey, there have been many emotional reactions taking place. On August 25th, 2017, torrential rain, hail, flooding, and high winds occurred in Texas. Those who have been affected are described as being “scared out of [their] minds,” “extremely helpless,” and “dealing with a great amount of despair” (Astor). Some people are also feeling very angry with the event that occurred. These descriptors all point to an emotional reaction, similar to what Billy went through in the …show more content…
Billy is weak and often moving slower than the other soldiers. He gives up easily as well. Vonnegut writes “... Billy wouldn't do anything to save himself. Billy wanted to quit. He was cold, hungry, embarrassed, incompetent. He could scarcely distinguish between sleep and wakefulness now... he wished everybody would leave him alone. ‘You guys go on without me’ he said again and again” (Vonnegut, 34). Billy’s lack of energy and weakness are both physical reactions that he is having because of the tragedies he has gone through. This type of reaction is common in the real world as well, and an example is a car accident. Although millions of accidents occur every year, a specific example is on August 16th, 2017, when two people were seriously injured after a pair of vehicles collided in New York City. Both of the people involved in the crash survived, but it is noted that they are now going through some physical effects of the tragedy (Prendergast). Those include the same difficulties Billy dealt with; weakness, feeling shaky, and wanting to give up. These alike feelings that Billy and real people share are signs of a physical reaction. A tragedy can affect you in many different ways, but it can be extremely difficult to get past the physical