The dehumanization of soldiers in Chapter 4 shows us that mankind can be separated and united, and each is mighty in its own way.
When Billy Pilgrim and his comrades arrived at their destination, the German soldiers "peeked inside Billy's car owlishly, cooed calmingly. They had never dealt with Americans before, but they...knew that it was essentially a liquid which could be induced to flow slowly toward cooing and night" (80).
Comparing the prisoners to a liquid made them seem vulnerable. Metaphorically, they could be swayed and moved like liquid by the German soldiers, unable to resist. Humans are tiny, insignificant water droplets by themselves. In large numbers, however, they form rivers and oceans and can be extremely powerful. The passage made Americans sound like inanimate objects, or small children who didn't know anything about the world around them. What was the intention of the soldiers and their calming noises?
This is really well written and a new perspective on this quote,that I didn't see before. I admire your thoughtfulness about the water. To answer your question, I think the intention of the soldiers and their calming noises was perhaps a way to calm themselves and others around them? Or maybe the war is making them go crazy, and the noises are effects from some type of PTSD?
ReplyDeleteThat's an interesting thought! I never considered that the guards could have been making strange noises as a result of their own insanity. It makes sense, as the Germans may have been upset by what they were forced to do and begun to go crazy.
ReplyDeleteMaybe the guards are their to prod the soldiers with what could happen, maybe the guards are their to break up the rivers and to keep the droplets of water on their own, to make sure nothing is stronger then them.
ReplyDeleteGood point. Could the Germans be intimidated by the American soldiers, and they think that splitting them up could make them less of a threat?
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