Slaughterhouse Five Chapter Two Flashcards

Questions and Answers

Who is Billy Pilgrim?

Protagonist of the novel; WWII veteran; optometrist; believes he has come unstuck in time.

Who is Barbara?

Billy's daughter - age 21; just married; faced with her mother's sudden death and her father's apparent mental breakdown.

Who is Robert?

Billy's son - failure and delinquent in school; becomes a Green Beret in the Vietnam War.

Who is Roland Weary?

A stupid, cruel soldier who is taken prisoner by the Germans along with Billy. Signup and view all the answers

Who is Valencia?

Billy's wife - dies of accidental carbon monoxide poisoning while Billy is in the hospital recovering from the plane crash. Signup and view all the answers

What does it mean when Billy says he has come 'unstuck in time'?

Billy travels randomly through moments of his life without being able to control where he is going or at what point in time he will wind up. Signup and view all the answers

What are the major events of Billy's life depicted in this chapter?

Born - 1922, Ilium, NY; Graduates high school; Goes to optometry school for 6 months; Gets drafted into the army - chaplain's assistant; His father dies in a hunting accident; Gets sent overseas - December, 1944, Battle of the Bulge; Captured by the Germans; Comes back to US in 1945; Goes back to optometry school; Suffers mild nervous collapse; Marries Valencia; Has 2 kids, Barbara and Robert; Gets rich; 1968 - in a plane crash; Wife Valencia dies while he is recovering in the hospital; Goes on radio show and says he is 'unstuck in time'. Signup and view all the answers

What is Tralfamadore, and what happens to Billy there?

Tralfamadore is a planet where Billy believes he was kidnapped in 1967; he was displayed naked in a zoo and mated to a former movie star from Earth named Monica Wildhack. Signup and view all the answers

How does Billy describe the Tralfamadorians?

Two feet high; green; shaped like 'plumber's friends'; suction cups pointed to the ground; flexible shafts pointed to the sky; with a hand on the top and a green eye in the palm. Signup and view all the answers

What ability do the Tralfamadorians have that Earthlings do not?

The Tralfamadorians could see in 4 dimensions; Earthlings can only see in 3 dimensions. Signup and view all the answers

What is the origin of the phrase 'so it goes'?

This phrase reflects what the Tralfamadorians say about dead people; they believe that all time exists forever, so death is not a big deal. Signup and view all the answers

Describe Billy's war experience up to his capture.

Billy was sent to Germany right after the Battle of the Bulge, arrived with 3 other American soldiers, had no boots, no coat, no helmet, and no weapon; the anti-tank gunner, Roland Weary, kept him alive. Signup and view all the answers

How is Billy captured, and with whom?

The two scouts ditch Billy and Roland because Billy could not keep up; Roland, mad at being ditched, beats Billy, exposing them to the Germans, leading to their capture. Signup and view all the answers

When and how did Billy first come unstuck in time? Describe the experience.

Billy first comes unstuck in time in the forest in Germany in 1944, seeing moments from his life including his birth and various significant events before returning to 1944. Signup and view all the answers

Why does Weary try to beat Billy?

Weary, a bully, was ditched by people before, which triggered his anger when the scouts abandoned him and Billy, resulting in him trying to beat Billy. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Character Overview

Billy Pilgrim: Protagonist, a WWII veteran and optometrist who experiences time travel, becoming "unstuck in time."
Barbara: Billy's 21-year-old daughter, recently married, dealing with her mother's death and her father's mental struggles.
Robert: Billy's son, struggles academically, later becomes a Green Beret in Vietnam.
Roland Weary: A cruel soldier and Billy’s fellow prisoner; he tries to protect Billy but also expresses aggression towards him.
Valencia: Billy's wife who dies from carbon monoxide poisoning while he is hospitalized.

Key Themes and Concepts

Unstuck in Time: Billy's condition allows him to experience moments from his life non-sequentially and uncontrollably.
Major Life Events: Key moments include Billy's birth in 1922, military drafts, capturing in World War II, his education, marriage to Valencia, and surviving a plane crash in 1968.
Tralfamadore: A fictional planet where Billy believes he was taken in 1967, where he is displayed in a zoo and mates with a former movie star.

Tralfamadorians

Description: Small, green beings resembling plungers, with flexible shafts and a unique eye arrangement.
Perspective on Time: They see in four dimensions, believing all moments exist simultaneously, thus altering their perception of death.

Philosophical Insights

"So it goes": A phrase reflecting the Tralfamadorian view of death, indicating a dismissive attitude towards mortality due to their understanding of time.

War Experience

Capture Setup: Billy faces dire conditions without adequate gear when captured after the Battle of the Bulge.
Capture Incident: He is abandoned by scouts and captured along with Roland Weary after being unable to keep up with the group.

Time Travel Experience

First Time Travel Incident: Occurs in 1944 in a German forest, where Billy sees moments from his past and future, illustrating his unstable understanding of time.

Conflict Dynamics

Weary's Aggression: Driven by past experiences of being abandoned, Weary's frustration leads him to lash out at Billy during their capture.

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Description

Test your knowledge of Chapter Two of 'Slaughterhouse Five' with these flashcards. Define key characters such as Billy Pilgrim and his family. Explore their roles and significance in Kurt Vonnegut's powerful narrative.