Slaughterhouse Five, Oh No!

I' sure i'm not the only one who thinks this but, the book and the movie were extemely hard to follow! Of, course the movie was better because it gave us a visual helping hand, yet it still did not help me understand what it the heck was going on! I think because Billy was always "time tripping" and it kept going from the past to the present to the future, it made it too complex to understand. The only thing that I did understand, and the book had made it clearer, is that Billy seemed like an extremely weak person. He had always let people take advantage of him and always seemed to be a reserved person. However, with Billy's possesion of characteristics like that, I really do not understand how he was so successful. Was it only because he married into a rich family? Another aspect of this story that confused me was the whole alien abduction. That part I could not even understand, and i'm still pretty much in the dark about it! It may sound like im dissing the novel and its movie, but I honestly could not grasp the concept of it. I think this was by far the most difficult story I have studied, but I am hoping that it will eventually clear up for me and any others that seem to be struggling as well.

Slaughterhouse-five

I don't favor the movie or book one more than the other. I think the book was confusing to read but it was more interesting than the movie. The movie was helpful in that it was a visual therefore some of the events that happened in the book were easier to understand when watching them. In the movie, when Billy was going in and out of Tralfamador it seemed extremely unrealistic where as in the book I was able to create my own picture of what it would be like. Overall, I'm not quite sure how I feel about the meaning of the book or movie. Sometimes it takes a second time around to truley understand the full message of either.

Slaughter House Five

After watching the movie Slaughter House Five that followed our reading of the text I felt that the two had similarities and differences. The movie I felt did not go into as much detail that you could grasp out of the book where as reading the text you were able to sort of be in the mind of Billy Pilgrim. With this, I was able to paint a picture in my head of what I thought the characters were, what they looked and acted like and then after watching the movie my image of those characters and of Billy were very different.
I felt that overall I did not take in alot from the reading or the film. I wasnt sure of the purpose or meaning behind either one. Maybe because I couldnt relate, or maybe I just wasnt interested in the overall story, maybe both.

Slaughterhouse-Five (comment copied & pasted as a new post)

The film definitely ignored certain aspects of the Billy's understanding of his special place in the world. He claims in the book that he didn't want to tell anyone about his time & space travel before his accident because the timing wasn't right. This is simply ignored in the film, because he is abducted after his wife's death.

This also removes that seeming contradiction that he never cheated on his wife but once, on the washing machine at a party, & was caught. Even if he travelled through a portal to Tralfamador & lived in a different crease in time, one that could be experienced by him as years & his family or whoever as only minutes back on earth, this would still seem pretty clearly to consist of infidelity. Therefore, his claims would be contradictory, posing a more interesting problem relative to his sanity & possible brain damage after the plane crash.

This reminds of that Robert Cormier book, _I Am the Cheese_, which I read in ninth grade or so. The kid is obviously suffering from various mental & psychological confusions & disconnected memories, as well as mind-altering influences (drugs, electric shock, something like that). This adds a rich layer of meaning to the stories woven throughout _Slaughterhouse-Five_, and presents a puzzle--Pilgrim's sanity--which leads to a problem: an individual's inability to come to terms with reality after his experiences in WWII, & especially surviving the Dresden bombing. & adding to his seeming narcosis, paralysis, or whatever his sleepwalking through life is in the novel--interrupted momentarily by the very real & naked nervous breakdown he had--is his wife's sudden death & his son's conversion to war hero. What could this image of his son mean to Billy, considering what he had seen of war?

The movie, on the other hand, seems to offer us only a man disconnected from reality, very clearly constructing a more pleasant version to counter the horrors of his wartime experiences. This "mental divergence" is definitely one way to read the novel's protagonist, but provides only a fraction of its intricacies.

Slaughterhouse-Five: Movie vs. Book

I did not care much for the movie or the book. I think this story was scattered and hard to follow. I like to read books that I can follow and I can get something out of it. I did not see no point in this book. There was no lesson taught so I did not find this book interesting.

If I had to choose that one that I preferred it would be the book. If you watched the movie without reading the book then you would not understand what is taking place. Also the book contained some elements that the movie did not contain. For instance, in the book the first chapter was all about the author so you knew where the book was coming from. This part was not in the movie. Also in the book they put more emphasis on the aliens and I believed the movie should of focused more on them. The aliens was a great way for Billy to escape his reality. Therefore the aliens should of been more included in the movie.

So I would recommend people to read the novel before they watch the movie. You probably will be disappointed with the movie if you do it in this order but you will better understand the movie if you read the novel first.

What's the World Coming to

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081114/ap_on_re_as/as_afghanistan_acid_attack

This is insane...Innocent people are being burnt with acid for no apparant reason. I couldn't imagive living in a place where I had to fear for my life everyday because people might do hideous crimes against one another. We often complain about the wolrd we are living in but just imagine what these people have to go through everyday. Often, we are quick to complain about our lives because we're just simply having a bad day or we want those new shoes that we just can't afford. To me, this pales in comparison to knowing you could potentially die for simply wearing makeup out in public in these countries. And, having to be accompanied by a man everytime they step foot out of the house...these women have no independence. For once I would like to see everyone treated with respect because I guarantee if the tables were turned, it would take on a whole new perspective and I'm guessing they wouldn't appreciate it either.

reply to kerry

I agree with you Kerry. Books are of much more substance than movies and your right, you put yourself( well at least I do) in the book and go through the motions with that character. I picture what they look like and act like. In a movie it is often a dissapointment to me to find that the characters that I had pictured, are not like that at all. It is the same thing I suppose as hearing a song on the radio and yet when I watch the video and put the faces to the songs, your either dissapointed or thrilled. Somehow, the message of the song isn't the same as it was just hearing it, either good or bad.

I did however for some reason like the movie! I didn't think it was horrible but the acting could have been better. I think I pictured Billy in that way all along, the wife, I had her all wrong!!!!!!

Perspective vs Reality

I looked at this book and the movie in a different way. Both the book and the movie had a message to the people and to those that have read it. I think that the unknown place of Tralfamador was created in a time of desperation. It stated in the book and in the movie that Tralfamador was a place of just is. It just is this way and nothing can be done to change that fact. It just is so accept it. They always conveyed to Billy to treat things as good and ignore the bad that way you can get back to reality. If you just think positive, things will get better.

Billy created this planet as a way to escape the horror that he saw in Dresden. He saw and did so much and yet never had an answer of why Dresden ever occured. I think he was searching for a way to explain to himself what happened and why it occured. Only he found that he just had to accept it and that it just was that way. He created this as a way to gain perspective and in order for him to make sense out of things. He was looking for a way to be happy and knew that he had to get rid of those memories in order to move on. Was he crazy? Was he brain damaged? Well, that we never really truly find out, but we can say that he was trying to sway from reality and trying to understand why he was this way.

The character Kilgore Trout was mentioned in the book and was central to the story. However, I don't recall him being mentioned in the movie at all.

ramble on

In order for a comparison to take place between a book and a movie, it necessary to understand the roles of each. In the same way that one cannot compare a house and a memory without first understanding the tangibility of each, books and movies deserve that respect (forgive my inadequate simile).

Movies show us stories. While provoking at times, they are what they are. The characters are in front of us, the plot is as follows, and the ending is shown by crediting everyone who was part of creating the visual and auditory events previous. Allusions can be made but the mental image is already partially formed. It is difficult for movies show, in depth, the inner struggles and thought processes of characters. A good movie will either portray these things in detail or leave them out entirely leaving the viewer to his/her own devices.

Books give us stories. A good book should promote thought and insight into an infinite chain of knowledge with levels that reach as far as the mind's eye can see. A good book will take you on a journey that doesn't end when the book does. Each reader has a completely different experience that no other person will ever fully comprehend. It is personal. A good book should also leave you desiring more knowledge. Thoughts about meaningless information from the story should pop into your head while you're trying to accomplish some other necessity of life. It should make you question and wonder. It should lead you to something new, something you've never thought of before. It should interest you in things that you never knew you were interested in. It should leave you needing more. The creation of the story you experience can be credited to only you and, in part, the author.

I don't think that Slaughterhouse-Five is a great book. It's a decent book. It certainly did lead me to relatively unexplored realms of thought and, as always, war happenings fascinate my unworldly, pacifistic mind. I feel inclined to believe that the author's choice for point of view was entirely used as a method of detachment. I believe that Vonnegut's preface (if i can call it that)was to convey the difficulty of re-experiencing Dresden without actually having to do so. To me, the appeal of the book lies in the management of the telling of the attack on Dresden (if that makes any sense). Perhaps it's just my inner philosophical anthropologist speaking. Maybe it's my way of making a relatively dull story mean something. The movie, on the other hand, was atrocious (though maybe a little amusing at times). The movie made the events of the story visible to the audience at the expense of leaving out every bit of substance that the book had to offer.

Well, I should probably be kicked off the site for insane rambling, but if anyone gets any tiny little fleck of anything from my rambling then I've done my job. However, it just is what it is, what it has always been and what it will always be.

comparison between movie and book

i had read the book first, it was alot more detailed than the movie. personally i didnt like the movie the characters didnt match up to what the book said they were or maybe i just imagined them different.Where was Billy?Was he suppose to be on a different planet or earth or did he have post traumatic stress syndrome or brain damage. There were missing scenes from the movie and the order of events didnt happen like that. Some scenes were more detailed in the movie and talked very little about in the book. In the movie you coudn't figure out what was suppose to be reality and what wasn't. if i had to i would not watch the movie

movie vs. book

I personally liked the movie, seeing how I only read up to chapter four. After seeing a majority of the movie and hearing others talk about it I kind of want to finish the book. When I read the book I did not really like it because it was so random to me, so it was hard for me to get interested and want to keep reading. I guess, I personally did not the book or the movie when all is said and done.

Schlachthof-fünf--English 204

So, here's the blog site.
Add one original post and comment on two posts.
I will add another post and comment, as well.
Have fun!
Oh, and if you want to look stuff up online, some connections you find, or other people's opinions of the book or movie, feel free to include those links in your post or comments, as well.

Women in Combat

After watching this viedo, I became absolutely furious knowing that women are not allowed to be out on the lines in Iraq. If women are over there that are willing to fight for their country and help put an end to this war, then they should have every right to be down on the lines with proper training. Women have been put into mechanic work only and then a day later they are put out in war, in the middle of a battle with no idea of what to do and what is going on. Women are out in battle probably right now, with no idea how to use a gun or how to help out others if they need it. It is pretty sad that still to this day, society still has a problem with women serving their country. They are just trying to do what they feel is right and still they are put to shame!

The New York Times- Op-Ed: Women in Combat
http://video.nytimes.com/video/2008/11/11/opinion/1194832614436/op-ed-women-in-combat.html?hp

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/10/us/10protest.html?ref=us

It was interesting to know that some churches support gay marriages since most believe that it is a sin. i personally believe everyone has the right to be what ever they want and if people were not supposed to be gay then there would never be ways to be gay. Sorry if thats hard to follow. I just think as long as they do not try forcing it on straight people what right do we have to ban them from doing it. yes it is hard to accept but the world would be boring if we were all the same plus the world is over populated as it is so maybe in a way they are helping us.

Socialistic Country

http://predictionsfortheus.wordpress.com/2008/11/09/us-ready-to-become-a-socialistic-country/ After reading this I thought about how many people get money from the government who are fully capable of working. There are several people on welfare, assisted living programs that can get out and get a job who can afford to live on their own but refuse to. Dont get me wrong I do believe that the goverment should care for those who need the help such as the disabled, elderly that are retired, people who truley cannot take care of themselves, but not for the ones who cheat the goverment. Since Obama getting elected he wants to lower this limit making it easier for people to get help from the goverment. The more people that are getting help from the goverment the more money that is coming out of the pockets of the people who are working for a living. Obama is trying to add change to this country that is going to be good, but trying to lower the limit for goverment help is a bad idea. Maybe I am looking at it all wrong. I will looking forward to see what everyone else has to say.

Obama

I was really happy when i heard that Obama had won the election. The fact that this election was the biggest election in history means alot. After reading an article about Obame keeping his promise to cut taxes, I remembered that i had heard that he had wanted to increase taxes. Is this true? Taxes are already high enough. Our economy sucks as it is right now. If he doesn't cut taxes, what do you think people are going to think? Will they think we have an unfaithful president or will he cut taxes and fulfill his promise? I guess we will just have to wait and see.

http://www.usnews.com/blogs/john-farrell/2008/11/6/barack-obama-needs-to-cut-taxes-as-he-promised.html

YEA OBAMA!!!!!

The feeling I got when all the votes were in on election night was undescribale. When I saw the look on the thousands of faces in the crowd in Chicago that night, it brought a sense of emotion to my mind. One story that was told was about one spokesman saying how he wish his mother and father could see this day. And as for i bet, thousands of others, cause it was a day of celebration for most African Americans. It's not in just the case about race, I think it was more of a celebration of unity for everyone. And it is time for a change...and to the people that aren't ready for that change, well then so long to the future for you. One thing I do not get is how people can be so closed minded, hello people it's 2008!!!! Yes, it may have been different 20 years ago, and yet even 10 years ago but we are living for today. And in today's society there is no predicting the future at all. While watching the late news cast on election night, I found a significance in a poster that was posted on the wall of worthy Obama voter...It said "Rosa sat so Martin could walk, so Obama could run, so our children can fly", in seeing this it gave me a sense of inspiration. Because in this saying it is true, it is all about going from the bottom and working your way up. Not always, is it that the good things are always handed to you, and this being just that. Everyone is looking for a better future for their children, and that is what this is all about, the fact that our children are our future so making the right decisions now will be beneficial for them.

But now on to my next opinion about this election. One thing i must say is people who did not vote and did not register have no reason to dictate or whine about Obama or what could have or should have happened. Not including the ones under 18 of course. But for real, whats the point in saying anything, because just that one vote could have made that bit of a difference. And that is a fact.

I found this very interesting.
http://pickabone.wordpress.com/2008/11/09/the-racist-anti-racists/
Although, I do not understand it either. Yes, people of other countires can have opinions, but this is more of an offense than an opinion. Color cannot remain an issue anymore!!

This too!!!
http://www.wicz.com/news2005/viewarticle.asp?a=7546
This is so cruel and unjustifiable! There is no reason for this, offending other people is not going to change what happened in the election. This couple did not deserve what had happened to them. And a cross burning? That just goes against all religion period. So you are not just offending African Americans but also every other race too.

Out with a bang!
YEAH OBAMA!!!!!!! :]
IT'S TIME FOR A CHANGE BABY!

Technology

http://www.blogherald.com/2008/11/04/exploring-social-media-series/

After reading this article it made me start to think about how much our society has been effected from technology. How if we think back to when people had "party lines" were people would share a phone with a couple of families. How it has to changed to majoirty of peope walking around with cell phones as if they are a nessicity to life. What the future brings is very unpridictable based on how much will change. No one knows how much more technology will change our future.

Right or Wrong?

http://cupcakeexpress.wordpress.com/2008/11/07/a-very-interesting-video/I found this video someone put up on their blog. I was very disappointed after I watched it. I totally feel that the teacher in this video is So wrong! Some schools are letting the kids practice voting at a grade school level. think this is a wonderful way to get our youth to feel like they are involved and to let them know that their vote is and always will be very important.. The only problem is teachers like this one. I believe everyone has a right to their opinion but this teacher is way out of line on this one. She is supposed to be setting a good example for children. She tells the children it's OK to speak up and say if they were voting for McCain, but when these children do, she says " Oh Jesus John McCain" letting them know she was not happy. In my opinion she should have kept it to herself.. I would be furious if a teacher singled out my child just because he/she is speaking up for what they believe. My children participated in their school practice vote. They were very excited and felt like they were involved. Not once did anyone in that school make them feel ashamed for how they voted. They are just kids! I feel sorry for the little girl she speaks to who's father is in the military. To tell this little girl that her father will be in Iraq for another 100 years is just plain uncalled for!Let me know what you think....

Political and Current Events in Blog - 102

Blogs abound. We read about candidates, movements, people disagree & splatter aspersion, aversion, & boundless affection. For this assignment, search around, find a blog (some major players in the blogosphere are hosted on places like:

http://blogspot.com

http://wordpress.com

http://www.livejournal.com/explore/

here’s a pretty funny & irreverent one. it’s not exactly rated “G,” though!

http://maruthecrankpot.blogspot.com/

Not all blogs, of course, are hosted on a blog service. Many plain old websites function as blogs.

http://www.dailykos.com/

here’s a site that lists a bunch of blogs:

http://technorati.com/

http://blogsofnote.blogspot.com/

Here’s an interesting thing:

http://blog.lib.umn.edu/blogosphere/

& another:

http://www.blogospherenews.com/

Read some of these, search for some more. Explore.
Find one of your own, and post the link here.
Put an opinion in your post.
Read each other’s linked sites.
Add comments on posts you like or dislike.
Add comments on comments.
and so on.