Reading Blog: Slaughterhouse - Five Chapter 6

During this chapter I encountered myself, various times with the word latrine. I would just like to specify that this word was very important during the last chapter, and at the beginning I didn't know what it was. In context, I could only tell it was a place. A room or something like that surrounded by wires. I decided to look this word up, and curiously enough, I didn't find it in two dictionaries. I finally asked my mother what it was, and she said it was a bathroom. From that moment on, every time I saw that word in the novel, I remembered a bunch of Americans excreting everything but their brains out. This situation reminded me of all the bad or relieving moments one can have in the bathroom.

During this sixth chapter, and the last one, it was very curious to see the way in which Vonnegut explained the relationship between Germans and their prisoners. It was very curious the way in which the Germans and the English were almost friends, however the Germans hated the Americans. Another curious, and sad fact about war is described in this chapter. The Americans were sent to Dresden and told not to fear a thing because it wasn't possible, for that city to be bombed. I can already imagine the feeling of desperation the Americans will feel when this city is bombed. The fact they couldn't do anything, and weren't expecting it will make it even worse. They will be bombed by their own allies. Even though this will catch many by surprise, Billy already knows the city will be bombed: "Billy, with his memories of the future, knew that the city would be smashed to smithereens and then burned - in about thirty more days. He knew, too, that most of the people watching him would soon be dead. So it goes." (pgs. 150 - 151) With this in mind, I wonder whether Billy will tell anyone about the bombing of Dresden? Or will he keep it to himself? If Billy doesn't tell anyone I am sure he won't be able to bare the feeling of guilt later on in life.

The 6th chapter, unlike the others, is mainly focused in one place at only one time: Germany in the second World War. Billy doesn't travel in time. He just remains in the World War, and is transferred do Dresden. I wasn't expecting this, and therefore, I couldn't answer some of the questions I had. I still don't know anything about Montana Wildhack or her influence in the book. I wonder whether I will find this out in the seventh chapter or later on. Or will I not find out at all? As always, I guess all my thoughts will be answered later on. I found the end of the sixth chapter very important and entertaining. I finally found the explanation to the novel's title. I liked the author's idea of using the German words translated into English. The very end leaves me very intrigued, and now it does seem like war. The description of the American's "new home" is scary, and seems a lot more evil than the friendly German guards in the previous prison.