Whitman and Life

Whitman’s work is shown through poem 1-10, his pieces portray his positive attitude towards life. We can recall, “Always the procreant urge of the world” (Poem 2, line 37). His work appreciates the nature of life. How humans should see banal things as great. Not from a religious point of view but as an esthetical and artistic observation. His metaphors about life propose another view regarding stages in life. He questions people’s ordinary thoughts. Is birth a fortunate event? Is death the beginning of another life? Do people ever focus on casual things?

Wilson and Loulou

Flaubert describes Loulou in a particular manner. He does not use an extended quantity of adjectives or comparisons. He focuses on color, a simple aspect to portray her. We can recall, “He was called Loulou. His body was green, his head blue, the tips of his wings were pink and his breast was golden. But he had the tiresome tricks of biting his perch, pulling his feathers out, scattering refuse and spilling the water of his bath. Madame Aubain grew tired of him and gave him to Felicite for good.”(Chapter 4)It is vital to note the last fragment of this paragraph. Flaubert mentions how Madam Aubain’s action was definitely good for Felicite. As her name alludes to happiness, it is very ionic that her life is miserable. At this point a crucial question appears. Can self destruction be avoided through strong believe (faith) in someone, something or a Parrot? I believe Felicite is able to cope with her life finding space for hope. This type of situation reminds me of Cast Away. Chuck Noland (Tom Hanks) is lost in an island and he discovers faith through Wilson. Wilson is a volleyball that he uses as his “friend” and talks to him, a technique similar to Felicite’s. Both characters are able to deal with their negative circumstances by depositing hope in an external agent.

French Connection

As I read Gustave Flaubert I focused on detail, on his descriptions primarily. His style is very unique, I think detail described in few words is a skill that develops with practice. We learned about le mot juste, a concept that involves using exact words for exact descriptions. We can recall, “Eight mahogany chairs stood in a row against the white wainscoting. An old piano, standing beneath a barometer, was covered with a pyramid of old books and boxes. On either side of the yellow marble mantelpiece, in Louis XV. style, stood a tapestry armchair. The
clock represented a temple of Vesta; and the whole room smelled musty,
as it was on a lower level than the garden.”(Chapter 1) His description is very casual and yet precise. Listing objects can be a technique to emphasize detail, a method that Flaubert uses constantly in A Simple Heart. He sues numerical reference, allusion and shapes as some of the main indicators throughout his descriptions. I feel his style is similar to that of Armand Guillaumin, a french impressionist. The strokes he sues are delicate, short and yet magnify the concept in his paintings.

Quadrant

Image(B) Image(A)

Psychodelic and Sober 49's

I searched for “The Crying of Lot 49” in the Google images option. I saw another cover for the novel. Suddenly, I thought how I could compare both versions of Pynchon’s text. I will name the image (A) as the one of the cover I posses. This means image (B) is Pynchon’s preceding cover. I will compare both novels in their style. In order to do this I will use three main aspects: Composition of both Illustrations, comments from other sources and my personal view supported by text. In order to divide the covers I designed it as a 9 quadrant image.

Image A
Composition:
- Color: This illustration gains strength with the use of colors to emphasize the title of novel. The use of a plain color (one that is used as a background) gives it a sense of uniformity. This sea-green tone serves as a visual conductor. Black is used to frame the title and depict some important information, such as the author’s name. However the red is the color that stands out the most. Despite of the intensity of red, another visual technique deals with another background, highlighting the number “49.”
- Space: The use of colors as previously mentioned highlight the title. The are four layers that derive from the image. These layers give the cover a sense of volume and space. The first one is the sea green background(taking most of the illustration’s space). The second one deals with black, the author and the frame seem to be over the first layer. The third space created is the white background in which the title, the horn and the “49” stand upon. The fourth layer and closest to one’s eye is the red used to color the “49.”
- Volume: The image gains depth with shadows used under the 49 and the horn’s shape at the right extremity.
- Law of thirds: This technical aspect is evident in the image. “The crying of lot 49” appears at the bottom right corner of the illustration. It would be located around quadrant 9 (z, 9).
- Texture: The cover of image (a) is full of texture. The greenish layer had some patches of white. And the frame is also giving another texture, I thought it could represent the one of a stamp. The cover seems to be “old” and gives it a essence of antiquity that is emphasized with the horn.
Foreign comment: “The comedy crackles, the puns pop, the satire explodes.”- New York Times
Opinion: This cover is very sober in comparison to image (b), it uses few colors, a plain background and no extravagant textures. The relationship of this illustration is also connected to the text. It reminds me of certain passages of passive action. Where Pynchon writes simple ideas that are not very eccentric. This illustration reminds me of excerpts such as:
“She thought of Mucho, her husband, trying to believe in his job.” (Chapter 2)
“The room would be good enough for the time she had to stay.”(Chapter 2)
“All those movies had happy endings.”(Chapter 2)

Image B
Composition:
-Color:
Foreign comment:
Opinion: One that captured my attention totally, colors shapes and vivid psychedelic vibe stood out from the conjunction of pixels.

Yellow mobile thoughts

Chapter 4 is full of symbolism regarding Oedipa’s feelings towards her curiosity. The end of this chapter highlights this through the dandelions. As Oedipa begins to tie her clues together, her interest increases exponentially. She feels overwhelmed by the numerous connections there are among W.A.S.T.E and Thurn and Taxis. Her conversation with Genghis Cohen is proves her paranoiac behavior. Despite this, Pynchon is able to incorporate a metaphor that mitigates her behavior. “A few months ago it got quite cloudy. You see, in spring, when the dandelions begin to bloom again, the wine goes through fermentation. As if they remembered.”(Chapter 4) Basically the use of dandelions explains Oedipa’s nature. She is like one flower that hasn’t flourished, she needs to undergo through changes in order to evolve. However, Oedipa is so captivated by her imagination, she will remain in constant struggle with reality and her subconscious. The last passage of the chapter synthesizes her emotions, “as if the dead really do persist, even in a bottle of wine.”(Chapter 4)This phrase reminds me of “So it goes,” an expression in which Oedipa an unfinished thought. Pynchon’s incorporation of dandelions also gives the text a context. It portrays the essence of the hippies. Nature, psychoactive substances and colors are emphasized through this excerpt. I remembered MGMT’s song Electric feel has the same essence of description.

"Too much kirsch", Revolution, Lolita And "Naked lust"

This is the first time I sit to write a blog and I can’t decide how to begin. I will write impulsively, like Pynchon does. I mean it’s a 60`s book with descriptions and satire. So we got the Sex Revolution, psychodelic music, Vietnam War and the consumption of drugs in a conservative American society. We have a literary revolution, a type of literature that emerges from the youth: bold. Nabokov’s Lolita is an example of prose in which Humbert’s obsession was a taboo to most readers. “Reading in between the lines” is a skill I have developed in order to analyze texts. But this novel isn’t about deeper ideas or messages we as active readers have to figure out. The text itself is vanguardist, it proposes to focus on detail: on technique. We are introduced to Oedipa Mass apparently the main character of the story. She “came home from a Tupper ware party whose hostess had put perhaps too much kirsch in the fondue to find that she, Oedipa, had been named exectutor, or she supposed executrix, of the estate of one Pierce Inverarity, a California real estate mogul who had once lost two million dollars in his spare time but still had assets numerous and tangled enough to make the job of sorting it all out more than honorary.”(Chapter 1) I mean she went to a party, came back, was informed that she was now the executrix of a Pierce and it seems that he lost a lot of money but still had the power to gain wealth. Wendell (her husband) AKA Mucho Mass “suffered regular crises of conscience about his profession.”(Chapter 1) I mean that’s a humorous way to state, “he is one of those guys whose life is destined to constant frustration, because he never accomplished what he dream of.” As I observed through the first chapters I found two epithets. “Naked lust” and “gray sickness” (also a metaphor and synesthesia.) Pynchon is experimenting with words, with irony and a neo baroque writing.

Efficient Survival Machines and Almighty DNA

Survival machine, survival machine…. it sounds like “TERMINATOR” or something like it. I don’t know about you but I find it very interesting. Let’s go look for the definition of both these words! As I wait for my slow computer to load up for the definition of survival, I wonder, “How did Dawkins created this term? Why does he use it to state that every organism is one of them?
1. Survival / sərˈvīvəl/ • n. the state or fact of continuing to live or exist, typically in spite of an accident, ordeal, or difficult circumstances: the animal'schancesofsurvivalwere pretty low fig. he was fighting for his political survival. An object or practice that has continued to exist from an earlier time: his shorts were a survival from his army days. PHRASES: survival of the fittest Biol. the continued existence of organisms that are best adapted to their environment, with the extinction of others, as a concept in the Darwinian theory of evolution. Compare with NATURAL SELECTION. (Oxford pocket dictionary)

2. n. Machine: A device consisting of fixed and moving parts that modifies mechanical energy and transmits it in a more useful form. A simple device, such as a lever, a pulley, or an inclined plane, that alters the magnitude or direction, or both, of an applied force; a simple machine. A system or device for doing work, as an automobile or a jackhammer, together with its power source and auxiliary equipment. A system or device, such as a computer, that performs or assists in the performance of a human task: The machine is down. An intricate natural system or organism, such as the human body. A person who acts in a rigid, mechanical, or unconscious manner. An organized group of people whose members are or appear to be under the control of one or more leaders: a political machine. (Merriam Webster)

These definitions used in context with Dawkins’s explanation of genes make sense. “Survival machines” means: A device (intricate or simple) that works in type of systematical structure that enables it for the continuance of his existence. I believe Dawkins explains this concept with accurate examples. “Different sorts of survival machine appear very varied on the outside and in their internal organs. An octopus is nothing like a mouse…Yet in their…replicators…the genes… from bacteria to elephants …we are all survival machines for the same kind of replicator-molecules called DNA.” (pg 21) We can conclude that we have the same origin and that we are able to exist through evolution. So I think Dawkins created this term to explain the origin of biological organisms, providing him with pivotal information to use in his text. “Last but not least” I must again say that Dawkins is able to leave me in a state of wonder about his book. He mentions “DNA works in mysterious ways” (pg 21) a phrase that makes an automatic connection to religion. Either “God works in mysterious ways” or “The lord moves in mysterious ways” or any variation of the sentence, it is very crucial to note this phrase. He is giving science (biology) the importance of religion (a world wide concept) through a statement in his text. Nice job Dawkins, an efficient survival machine and DNA working as God, in ONE CHAPTER. That’s enough information for today.

Chicago Gangsters and Dawkins

Dawkins assumes as position of authority, we can infer this by his writing itself. This position can be interpreted as “Hey look I’m a scientist and this is my book, I will tell you my opinion through science.” He is concise, “My purpose is to examine the biology of selfishness and altruism.”(pg 1) Even if we think this barrier of “Wise and arrogant” exists we have to give him credit for saying right away what is the purpose of the book. Some writers tend to use the same “authoritarian” position and lead the reader to a tenuous novel of insignificant value. Explicitly he never states that he is superior to the reader and that his opinion is better. However the use of simple arguments such as “ It (biology) touches every aspect of our social lives, our loving and hating, fighting and cooperating, giving and stealing, our greed and generosity.”(pg 2) Tend to be an attempt of persuasion towards the reader. This proves that Dawkins tries to use his knowledge to influence the reader. This is not an “evil” technique, as matter of fact I’m trying to persuade you. He states that, “The argument of this book is that we, and all other animals, are machines created by our genes. Like successful Chicago Gangsters, our genes have survived, in some cases for millions of years, in a highly competitive world.”(pg 2) Yes, Dawkins we have to survive, survival can be understood in a biological level (as Dawkins states) or a moral degree. Probably you need to sell books and teach science. I need to comment about your text and eventually do something to live. Whatever we must undergo in order to survive is indeed a biological trait, nothing new to must of us. Personally I love the fact you include Chicago gangsters as an example of this, it reminds me of “The Godfather.”

“A pair of star-cross'd lovers”

Candide and his master Pangloss, faced a harsh destiny, execution. Candide was lucky enough to have fortune on his side, and escape from death. These chapters are very descriptive and provide information that creates a series of understanding of prior events. Candide was set to be executed, when an old lady rescued him. She said “Pull yourself together, young man and follow me” (Chapter 6, page 37). Apparently it was easier to follow this woman and continue his new path, despite of the evil past he had once lived. This mysterious woman aids Candide without expecting any revenue. As we can recall “Ii is not my hand you should kiss. I will come back to-morrow. In the meanwhile, rub yourself with that ointment, take some food, and have a good night’s rest” (Chapter 6, page 38) Candide later encounters Lady Cunegonde, she tells her story and gives Candide an internal thought of relief. As they speak, full of excitement, grief and awkwardness she began, “...that Candide, who gazed at her the whole time in rapt, attention, did not miss a single word.”(Chapter 7, page 40) Candide standing beside her true love was curious about the fortune she had faced. We can recall “By all means” (Chapter 8, page41) as Candide stood quite waiting for Cunegonde’s tale.

Synthesis of Irrational Logic

As I read these chapters of Voltaire’s Candide I made various connections to background knowledge. Pangloss narrates to Candide how lady Cunegonde was murdered by Bulgars. He mentions she was disemboweled, which reminded me of an xbox game, “dead rising.” One of the techniques you could use to kill zombies was the “disembowel.” Pangloss says, “She was disembowled by Bulgar soldiers after being ravished as much as a poor woman could bear.”(chapter 4, page 31)This connection, made this excerpt of the novel very graphic to me.

Voltaire uses prose as a mean to criticize humanity, doctors and philosophers. He satirizes them by exaggerating their actions regarding an urgent situation. As we recall, “ ‘How can I be cured?’ said pangloss. ‘I haven’t a penny, my dear friend, and there is not a doctor in all this wide world who will bleed you or purge you without a fee’ ”(chapter 4, page 31) It is an evident critic to our society that relays on money. Medicine proves a perfect setting for satire. It is a service that should be granted to the ill but it is actually provided to people that can afford it. Necessity is underestimated for materialism, money a priority and “moral bankruptcy” (Scumbag Billionaire) become reality.

Philosophy and theology are criticized, with characters that contradict their beliefs. The orator, preaches while Candide asks for aid. Instead of providing help to the “needy” he prefers to persuade the audience of his sermon. This is a clear contradiction (irony), because most of the religions encourage kindness among humanity (parable of the Good Samaritan). Pangloss is the stereotypical character of wisdom that proves to fail teachings. Voltaire constantly satirizes his explanation of “universal law”, if we can name it this way. Pangloss repeats in various occasions that “…It is impossible for things not to be where they are, because everything is for the best.” (Chapter 5, page 35) These type of generalizations or statements are very delicate to establish. One can deduct that if Pangloss is able to say state such theory, he must be a wise and educated person. A person that is knowledgeable of various topics. As Voltaire writes, “‘Nothing is more likely,’ said Candide; ‘but oil and wine, for pity’s sake!’” While Pangloss talks about his theory, Candide faints, proving that Pangloss is a man of delayed action. Demonstrating his lack of logic and rational actions rather than the wisdom he presumes to posses.

5 steps to be Candide:

-Stick to “That things cannot be other than they are, for since everything was made for a purpose, it follows that everything is made for the best purpose.”(Chapter 1)
- Talk to strangers that seem to aid you. Humans grant favors because of their values. (Not really)
-Mention Lady Cunegonde’s beauty even if it is off topic.
-Pretend to explain life with “cause and effect.” It will bring positive consequences such as getting beaten up.
-Believe every Dutch believes in being a good samaritan. (they will give their money without knowing you as if you were part of their family)

Open Letter

Robert Frost,

I understand your view upon free will, but I do not agree with it. As you may know I will reach apotheosis if I follow Diocletes and Heraclitus’s example. We as humans have to adapt to our situation. I will explain this to you as I did in my Handbook, with a metaphor. It is like being on a banquet, we must stretch our hand to what occurs in our life, do not restrain our memory in something that does not happen and wait if it hasn’t arrived. Predestination rules the universe, and as rational beings we must judge correctly to live in harmony. Please forget appearances, they are not important, remember to be the actor of life’s play.

Sincerely,
Epictetus

Miranda rights, Epictetus

Most of us have heard: “You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you…”In this case I will like to tell Epictetus that his teachings can be used against him. If judgment is what determines things, can things determine judgment? If we recall the past section of Epictetus we can propose a contradictory version of his teachings. Epictetus affirms that “What upsets people is not things themselves but their judgment about the things” (5) If that is true it would be acceptable to say he contradicts himself. He states that “An uneducated person accuses others when he is doing badly; a partly educated person accuses himself, an educated person accuses neither someone else nor himself.”(5) If we consider that education is a privilege for few, an advantage for some and deprived for many, we can state an inverse adaptation of Epictetus Handbook. According to him, we should face adversity (it is our destiny), with fair judgment because “you are an actor in a play, which is as the playwright wants it to be…” (17) In this case destiny for the uneducated was already set, which means that their situation affects their judgment. His extended metaphor of the banquet explains that one must fit the situation properly and logically. If things haven’t happened do no try to hurry them, if they already happened let them go away, and if they didn’t happen do not think of them. If we attach to this philosophy we can assume that we have to be ready to face destiny, in order to live correctly. This means that situations are factors that will affect our judgment, because one can not evaluate “things” without their existence. Consequently showing that the quality of events affect our opinion in contrast to Epictetus’s idea.

"Carpe diem" and fair judgment

Prevention, I can only think of that word when it comes to Epictetus and his teachings. Yes, Epictetus is very cautious regarding life, I mean the “negative” side of it. Usually we consider “death” as a pessimistic event. He analyzes the reason behind those situations that aggravate one’s mind. So he decides to create a series of possible answers that will show predestination can response our doubts. He explains that “What upsets people is not things themselves but their judgment about the things” (5) In this manner he tries to express that opinion is key to determine the quality of incidents. The verdict one sentences of an occurrence is what establishes: good or bad. The idea of acceptance of misfortune relays on his view of choice. We can recall, “You are nothing in relation to me” (1) in order to prevent negative feelings upon a situation. Epictetus proposes that humans can deal with adversity: not escaping from it but, preventing a negative judgment. If we are able to evaluate with a “positive objectivity” our life, we will not lament upon tragedies. He believes that wanting to change our present is not necessary. As “rational” beings we must act with reason and fair consideration of life.

“Poo-tee-weet”, an eternal ellipsis

Vonnegut ends the novel with unique style, he encompasses the main themes of the book such as war and human irrationality in a sound. “Poo-tee-weet” or the onomatopoeia of the bird’s call. Is very important to note three major characteristics of this final word.
1. At the beginning of the novel Vonnegut employs the same word to introduce us to Billy’s world. “Everything is supposed to be very quiet after a massacre, and it
always is, except for the birds. And what do the birds say? All there is to say about a massacre, things like 'Poo-tee-weet?' ” (PDF) The ending of the novel seems to make sense after we understand the satiric prose of Vonnegut regarding war. Yes, birds are foreign to war, they are not involved with it directly, meaning that nothing much can describe the horrors of destruction. Words do not even fit the smallest fraction of what an armed conflict is like.

2. The repetition of this word at the introduction and ending of the book give the sense of cycle. Meaning that wars are constant that words will never describe the vast pain in them. There will always be “poo-tee-weet” nothing more or nothing less.

3. The use of this sound is like an ellipsis for the novel. It’s an Aposiopesis: “is a rhetorical device wherein a sentence is deliberately broken off and left unfinished, the ending to be supplied by the imagination, giving an impression of unwillingness or inability to continue. An example would be the threat "Get out, or else—!" This device often portrays its users as overcome with passion (fear, anger, excitement) or modesty.” (Wikipedia) “Poo-tee-weet” becomes the unfinished thought, an overwhelming idea that is too complex to portray.

With these characteristics of “poo-tee-weet” we can make a direct a direct connection with I Felt a Funeral In My Brain by Emily Dickinson and Anthem For The Doom Youth by Wilfred Owen. There are four main ideas or connections between SlaughterHouse Five and these poems. These links are: war, humans and animal comparison (behavior), metafiction and the use of aposiopesis.
1. To show the war reference made in Owen’s poem we can recall:
What passing bells for these who die as cattle?
Only the monstrous anger of the guns.
Only the stuttering rifles' rapid rattle(Anthem for the doom Youth, lines 1-3)
Words such as guns and rifles and rapid rattle evoke war. Slaugher House Five also refers to war in a more direct manner. The main character Billy had faced war itself, he had seen the destruction of Dresden and massive killing of people.
2. The irrationality and the fast fall of human bodies in a war is compared as well. Vonnegut’s most evident examples are: the “human zoo” description and the title of the novel. Owen’s compares animals and humans in the use of cattle and bells. Bells have two connotations in this context which are: bells of a church (dead person) and bells of cows or cattle. He also describes that this type of death is like the one of an animal, it does not involve any ceremony, the corpse fall in large quantities. These numerous deaths left by wars are similar to the ones in a slaughter house.
3. Metafiction is showed in Slaughter House Five because they mention a book about war, making an indirect reference to the actual novel. I Felt a Funeral In My Brain is a poem that talks about an inner thought, the sudden end of the poem makes reference to how this thought abruptly came to end.
4. The use of the aposiopesis is in fact the main prove of metafiction within the poem. This pause or unfinished idea is similar to the “Poo-tee-weet” used by Vonnegut in the novel. Both pieces employ an idea that is left hanging for a symbolical purpose. In the case of Slaughter House Five it means: words do are not accurate enough for war. Dickinson’s poem uses it to: emphasize how the poems course (thought) ends as the last word is said.

"Atrocity and its splendor"

War can be seen as irrational ideal or the delight of some people. Do not judge me before I explain myself. Yes, the conservative reader stop now, do not continue reading this if you are overwhelmed with different ideas from yours. Personally I do not feel pleasure from conflicts, deaths and killing. However it seems that other people have acquired a desire for destruction and death. I do not see this as “weird”, it is very logical since destroying is easier than creating. A superficial example of this can be seen in the construction of a card castle. Every card has to be set up carefully, it usually takes longer than the lasting of the castle itself. It is obvious that watching the fall of the castle is not enjoyable. However the collapse of the castle seems to have a greater impact because it occurred in a very fast and sudden manner. Details such as: “made Billy get out of the wagon and come look at the horses. When Billy saw his means of transportation, he burst into tears. He hadn’t cried about anything else in the war.”(PDF) This shows the audience of Slaughterhouse five that Billy has cried for the smallest or less impacting detail of war. Considering that the slaughter of animals is minimal to the one of human lives in war. The effect of Destruction in any extent is probably going to last longer. This can be an indirect cause of wanting to kill and destroy, as I said previously this “seems” to be felt by some people.

"A Bomb type Catharsis"

Billy is able to feel a bomb-type catharsis in chapter eight, he undergoes a purge of restrained feelings. This experience varies from the time travelling sort of idea the novel emphasizes constantly. Usually Billy journeys back in time to realize and show his emotions. In this case it is different, Billy remains in the present and is able to recall the past without time travelling. While listening to the “Febs” he remembers the facial expression of the german soldiers. It is important to note how vary distant things (four men singing and german soldiers) can be related and compared when one has an everlasting shock. We can recall that he, “Had supposed for years that he had no secrets from himself. Here was proof that he had a great big secret somewhere inside, and he could not image what it was.”(PDF) He always knew his emotions were reflected in the past, in the war. In this case “he did not travel in time to the experience. He remembered it shimmeringly.”(PDF) It was the crucial twist in Billy’s character, reflecting another facet of his personality. This inner cleansing is very abrupt, similar to the bombing of a city.

"Leave Billy alone, Billy!"

Vonnegut’s character, Billy, exists through his personality, which is divided in the actual and the fictitious Billy. In chapter five we immediately find ourselves with Billy the pilgrim, or person. The one that lives and does constant actions in a reality that seems reasonable to the audience. “There is no beginning, no middle, no end, no suspense, no moral, no causes, no effects.” (PDF) As mentioned in previous chapters, Billy is able to learn teachings in the Trafalmadorain abductions.

Time travelling is a major characteristic that Billy has, a very unique feature of the book. Billy fast-forward’s and returns to the past continuously, following non atemporal sequence. The present in the novel does not exist, present is brisk and it can be lived while being at the past or future. It is subjected to time and space to determine if the present really exists. He is a character that is undergoing constant change, has to explore his inner thoughts to find himself.

“What we love in our books are the depths of many marvelous moments seen all at one time.”(PDF) This type of quotation illustrates Vonnegut or Billy, the fictional character. It is like having a puppet show, the thoughts are left aside for the audience and the master. While the actions of the puppet (being controlled by the master) are seen but cannot have deeper meaning without the notion of ideas or values. In the novel Billy is in constant struggle or division, he has misplaced thoughts at the wrong settings. This is caused because there are two characters: Billy pilgrim and Billy the legacy. And somewhere in there, the boy's mother went out and told the receptionist that Billy was evidently going crazy. Billy was taken home. His daughter asked him again, 'Father, Father, Father-what are we going to do with you?'(PDF)

"The tale of an unstable life"

The argumentation to qualify Billy as a character with post traumatic stress or not is subjected to variables and subjectivity. War as a decisive factor throughout the novel, does affect Billy and his character. “Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an emotional illness that develops as a result of a terribly frightening, life-threatening, or otherwise highly unsafe experience.”(Medicine net) Not only war but shocking experiences of suffering are linked with direct effects in Billy. The Trafalmadorians play a huge role on Billy’s growth as a person. We can see the conversation Billy establishes with them, it is very unique. “There is no beginning, no middle, no end, no suspense, no moral, no causes, no effects.”(PDF) Vonnegut uses the Trafalmadorians as the “subconscious” knowledge behind the dark side of war. They usually predicate or teach Billy some moral lessons such as: death not seen as a misfortune or negative event. In other cases Vonnegut describes the death of characters in a solemn and to some extent, distressing incident. “After poor Edgar Derby, the high school teacher, was shot in Dresden later on, a doctor pronounced him dead and snapped his dogtag in two. So it goes.” (PDF) Roland Weary’s death happens in Germany while the war is still occurring, Billy is majorly affected by this events. To state that Billy does suffer from post traumatic stress we must consider the following:
1. Recurrent re-experiencing of the trauma (for example, troublesome memories, flashbacks that are usually caused by reminders of the traumatic events, recurring nightmares about the trauma and/or dissociative reliving of the trauma),
2. Avoidance to the point of having a phobia of places, people, and experiences that remind the sufferer of the trauma and a general numbing of emotional responsiveness, and
3.Chronic physical signs of hyperarousal, including sleep problems, trouble concentrating, irritability, anger, poor concentration, blackouts or difficulty remembering things, increased tendency and reaction to being startled, and hyper vigilance to threat.
Seeing the constant trips in time and his attitude towards life the audience has the “ rubric” or the criteria to qualify Billy as PTSD or not.

"The beauty of bla bla bla"

I would like to write this blog entry about a quote that embraces the exquisiteness of language: “There was a tiny plume of smoke at infinity.” (PDF) You may wonder what is so captivating about this sentence. To be honest I don’t know how to explain it very well. One may say that classical quotations such as: “Here then, as I lay down the pen and proceed to seal up my confession, I bring the life of that unhappy Henry Jekyll to an end.” (Robert Louis Stevenson, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde), “Why am I to be pitied, you say? Yes! There's nothing to pity me for! I ought to be crucified, crucified on a cross, not pitied! Crucify me, oh judge, crucify me but pity me?" (Fyodor Dostoevsky, Crime and Punishment) or even “For never was a story of more woe -Than this of Juliet and her Romeo.”(William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet). Yes, it may be a sin to compare a quote of Vonnegut with these sentences that will never leave our mind. But I can argue that this quote is esthetically fascinating. I shall appeal for “literary tolerance” if you may name it this way. It may be too poetical for a novel of sci-fi, to emphasize details with such delicacy. In this situation, Vonnegut is able to merge a story of time travelling and constant action with the use of graceful words. I do not state that esthetics should eclipse the content or meaning of a text. In fact I think the opposite, the use of these sentences highlight the content of the piece.

“There was a tiny plume of smoke at infinity.”(PDF) has another form of beauty. It is minimalist, the greatness of the sentence relies on its simplicity. It is a phrase that appeals to motion, to imagination and irrationality. A “plume of smoke” is movement in a poetical and contemporaneous manner of describing ordinary things. “Infinity” as you know, is more of an irrational concept, one that has been discussed for “fair” amount of time. The combination of the ordinary or basic with abstract or intangible terms is minimalist. The use of this sentence is “to create the maximum effect.”(The free dictionary) To you my friends I leave nothing but, reflection upon the beauty of “a tiny plume of smoke at infinity.”

"Short lapses in an eternal fall”

Billy the pilgrim is a very complex character, he time travels within his memories. "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."(PDF) Rationally thinking, it is not very pleasant to transport yourself in time and space because you loose track of where you are. Billy’s memories are traumatizing, they have changed him. Death is a constant thought humans have in mind at some stages of their lives. In some cases it is hard to speak of it, but going back to the death of a beloved person is worst. Vonnegut continues the narration of Billy’s life. He describes in detail Billy’s actions and thoughts while time travelling. “Wind and cold and violent exercise had turned his face crimson. He didn't look like a soldier at all. He looked like a filthy flamingo.” (PDF) The complexity of Billy’s character was shaped by his unstable way of living. He could remember and live his past and future, something very unusual to most of us. So far Billy travels, remembers and lives in a Twilight Zone. “He was a funny-looking child who became a funny-looking youth-tall and weak, and shaped like a bottle of Coca-Cola.”(PDF) Billy the soldier, Billy the man, Billy the widower and “so it goes.”

"A cynic may be pardoned for thinking that this is a dog's life."

“I had the Bell Telephone Company find him for me. They are
Wonderful that way. I have this, disease late at night sometimes, involving alcohol and the telephone. I get drunk, and I drive my wife away with a breath like mustard gas and roses. And then, speaking gravely and elegantly into the telephone, I ask the telephone operators to connect me with this friend or that one, from whom I have not heard in years.” (Slaughterhouse-Five pg 2) This quotation by Kurt Vonnecut is a combination of humor, cynicism and a contemporary spirit. It is charged with emotion and sincerity, it is a Bob Dylan type of thought. A man is a success if he gets up in the morning and gets to bed at night, and in between he does what he wants to do.” Bob Dylan It basically describes Kurt Vonnecut and his story (yet to be told), it is an attractive sentence to drive our attention towards the novel. Why modern? Why so straight forward? The answer I wanted to find of to these questions was not delayed. Narration, style and tone should be intercalated, attracting the reader relies on: the organic thoughts. This excerpt was not “forced” to exist in the novel. It relates the banality of his actions with the setting of this story. This association is clearly shown in the beginning of the novel, “All this happened, more or less. The war parts, anyway, are pretty much true. One guy I knew really was shot in Dresden for taking a teapot that wasn't his. Another guy I knew really did threaten to have his personal enemies killed by hired gunmen after the war. And so on. I've changed all the names.” (Slaughterhouse-five) Effectively Vonnecut provides some previous context to set the inauguration of the book. The themes to be said are “normal”and are distorted at some degree. Alcohol, wives, time, and a distant friend are subjects of modern literature and cinematography. The “Rippler effect” contains these same ingredients in a different story, however still has an impacting effect. I must finish my blog entry with a cynic tone or at least an attempt of what it sounds like. I would like to apologize to you my dear audience if I like cynics, or novels written with some effortless memories of cotidianity. Do not get me wrong, recalling Dresden is not effortless (as Vonnecut states). But memories of calling a friend while being drunk are not too complex either.

"Death 9000"

Embarking on a journey that deals with finding one’s “way” implies to “ABANDON ALL HOPE.” Or it could have total different meaning, something like: catharsis. Dante the pilgrim has changed some of his ideas, but we can still see him as the same person. It is important to recall that Dante has two characters, the poet and the pilgrim. Most of his expedition through hell happens to Dante the pilgrim. He is the one travelling with Virgil to every circle of the Inferno. The experiences that Dante lives while being at “… the city of weeping…eternal pain and … the lost people” affect Dante the poet. These effects are exposed when he steps out of the character to talk as the writer directly to the audience. Showing that at certain stages of Inferno, Dante wants to emphasize the importance of an idea he has concluded or an event that has happened.

At the beginning of Date’s journey (the actual path once entering the gates of hell) show his fear or confusion about this place. Virgil tries to encourage him to continue with his course and acts as a voice of wisdom to Dante. This type of actions done by Virgil are shown in Canto III lines 13-15, he is an allegory of knowledge in Inferno. So far we have seen how difficult it is to walk this track, hoping in the place of hopeless. Throughout hell Dante encounters creatures, friends, enemies, sins and punishments among others. He shows how pity can be felt while watching others suffer during the first cantos. And later we see a pilgrim showing that going against God’s will (commandments) should be penalized with a severe punishment. This is the stage in which we can’t define his journey as abandoning hope or a road to find the ideal “way that does not stray.”

Catharsis can be a valid topic depicted in Dante’s expedition throughout the inferno. It could be an allegory of his journey. This is seen by the change we see in both the poet and the pilgrim. We understand how losing our way maybe the only way of finding our path. As to say, how contradictory situations can lead to relief in a longer term. As we can recall: “Those who are subject to the emotions of pity and fear and the feelings generally will necessarily be affected in the same way; and so will other men in exact proportion to their susceptibility to such emotions. All experience a certain purge [catharsis] and pleasant relief. In the same manner cathartic melodies give innocent joy to men.” (Politics VIII: 7; 1341b 35-1342a 8, trans. J. Burnet). This excerpt proves that catharsis is shown in Dante’s behavior. He at the beginning seems confused or repressed because he feels he has lost God and the motive of his existence. As he moves along the rings of hell he realizes others can’t look for forgiveness while he can. He does not feel compassion for the sinners he has is relieved because he knows he will be able to escape from “divine justice.” At the end of chapter XXXIV as he admires the stars of the ceiling he once lost, we see his satisfaction (leaving hell) and his motivation to reach heaven. Through a tough treatment his emotions (fear, disappointment, frustration,) are now gone by understanding there is still hope for his soul.

"Paradise for all"

The Republic of Paradise does not admit questions
Remember to cooperate with the chores
Sin among our inhabitants is not acceptable in our nation

Respect has to prevail among all
No harm to others property or you’ll leave by the back door
Firm rules and harmony above all, Dante’s Inferno we should not recall

No straying in the way, remember to be ashore
Mind open, direction sky
Call upon perfection, conformist existed long before

“An eye for an eye”
Feelings of hate and disgust
So much pain not needed, unnecessary eternal cry

Our society shall live for ever, remain clean and pure without a trace of dust
Wanting the impossible, never looking back
Perfection is our motive and achieve greatness, we must

“The love we share Seems to go nowhere.”- Tainted Love

The “twilight zone” series have a real “horroshow” music theme. As Alex (main character of clockwork orange) I also share a great interest in music. This episode from “twilight zone” is well known for its captivating subject, poetic justice. The beats that are heard at the beginning of the show leave a trance in the spectator. These combination of white and black shapes with music create an indefinite environment. I was being immersed in the “twilight zone”.

The main idea of this episode is having society and fate against human nature and unexpected events. As the clip begins we listen to the description of the setting in which the story takes place. “This is a jungle. A monument built by nature honoring disuse. Commemorating a few years of nature being left to its own devises. But it’s another kind of jungle: the kind that comes on the after math of mans battles against itself.” The woman who appears in the screen is bewildered, she is confused. We are just watching carefully for details, we want to understand the story as it moves along. The place where she is seems destroyed, it’s typical postwar scenography. She decides to enter a building, she is exploring her surroundings. Suddenly as she is looking for food she encounters a man. This moment of the episode is where allegory can be found. They begin to fight, to show their instincts. Society is depicted on the uniforms, gender and situation of a rivalry. The characters barely talk, they seemed doomed and brainwashed. Their behavior is primitive, the man knocks her out and then pours water to awaken her after the quarrel. Finally she regains consciousness again, the woman stares at him while he says “The only reason I can see for our fighting, is that your uniform is a different color than mine.” As mentioned before this encounter is the main idea in which poetic justice revolves around. The man has realized that society (war and uniforms) and fate (survival and destroying the other) are obsolete when it comes to finding another human in times of destruction. As the story continues we see the shift of how “twilight zone” has a clear idea and suddenly alters to end up with a counter unexpected ending. Finally this odd couple walks in harmony with no apparent direction, but the one of “tainted love”. As I recall an excerpt from the song it summarizes this episode “The love we share Seems to go nowhere.”

"Noodles and some other banal stuff"

Luke-god of nothing-Loving noodles: Hey. How are you, Mike?
To the M to I to the K to the E: I’m just right, Luke. I just finished my English homework. What are you doing?
Luke-god of nothing-Loving noodles: Nothing, I was watching TV. Did I tell you what I had for supper?
To the M to I to the K to the E: No, you didn’t mention anything about your dinner.
Luke-god of nothing-Loving noodles: Dude my mom just bought instant noodles. The box contains like colorful noodles hahaha!
To the M to I to the K to the E: Dude that’s sick. I mean why don’t people create such marvelous inventions before?
Luke-god of nothing-Loving noodles: Don’t really know bro. Don’t bother thinking about it. You should rather tell me about your date with Shirley.
To the M to I to the K to the E: Dude totally forgot about that. Well, we were just chillin and we began, you know, making out. So her dad came in…
Luke-god of nothing-Loving noodles: And he saw you? Now you are totally screwed bro!
To the M to I to the K to the E: Wait, its not what you think it is, its even worst.
Luke-god of nothing-Loving noodles: He kicked you out of the house or what?
To the M to I to the K to the E: Haha I wished… Well it happen to be that her dad is blind and she didn’t care he was present. She kept on kissing me, it was so awkward.
Luke-god of nothing-Loving noodles: Hey dude your story is crazy, I mean what an experience. Hey bro mom is telling me to go do my chores. Bye!
To the M to I to the K to the E: Take care bro, see you tomorrow at school.

"Go Blog Yourself!"

This blog or article that Sarah Boxer wrote tries to capture the evolution and importance of blogging. Blogging is a new concept that “for those who don't know, is a journal or log that appears on a Web site. It is written on line, read on line, and updated on line.” With this definition we can enter our journey to understand what seems to be a new writing genre. It is like discussing “neoliberal” economies or “free trade”, these are concepts that have gained popular appeal in the past decades. In this case, blogging has suffered a very fast evolution. “At the beginning of 1999 there were a few dozen blogs, Blood reports. By the end of the year there were thousands, and it was impossible for anyone to keep up. At the end of 2003 there were two million blogs and the number was doubling every five months. In early 2006 Technorati, a search engine that tracks blogs, counted 27 million. In late 2007, the count passed 100 million.” It is shocking to read these facts, and we wonder “how blogs increased at this rate and why?” When we arrive to this question we have “linked” ourselves to blogging itself. The information written on blogs is vast; it ranges from a taboo such as sex to an essay from a scholar regarding classic literature.

Blogs are a source of information that interest everyone, are fast, are available (just need internet) and can relate topics in a progressive manner. You can begin reading a blog about the Iraq war. After a while you decide to look up for the definition of war (Wikipedia). Then probably you will find its etymology. As you read “etymology” you wonder what it means. So you decide to do some further investigation, you click on it. While you “surf” through the definition of the word etymology you find a link to the word “Portuguese.” Click on it, it eventually will transport you to another world of knowledge. So now you scroll down this window and at the bottom you will see the word “Pimba.” Then by just clicking on it you have now entered “a Portuguese depreciatory term used for qualifying a variety of popular Portuguese folk solo singers and bands whose songs are frequently driven by metaphors with sexual meanings.” You decide to continue reading until you find the word “Shakira”, and eventually click on it. Now you have found yourself reading about a “singer-songwriter, musician, record producer, dancer and philanthropist who emerged as a musical prodigy in the music scene of Latin America in the early 1990s. Born and raised in Barranquilla, Colombia, Shakira revealed many of her talents in school as a live performer, demonstrating her vocal ability with rock and roll, Latin and Middle Eastern influences with her own original twist on belly dancing.” Keep going down until you find the subtitle “2008-present: She Wolf and forthcoming Spanish album.” Swift your eyes through this paragraph and find the words “She wolf”. Clicking on them will reach out a window with different meanings of these words. Click on the last one, “a female wolf”. Continue searching in the subtitle “Physical and behavioral differences”, find the word xenophobic. So let’s stop our journey at this point, we can realize that with seven reference points we have read from the Iraq war to xenophobia. This is a clear example of the variety of topics we can investigate once we read a blog. Blogs provide the audience infinite possibilities of searching, either directing you to another blog or to a webpage. Some contain comments that incite the reader to explore more about a subject, they create an interest in the public. With this simple clicking expedition we have found the essence of blogging. “Go blog yourself.”