Entry 6, Chapter 3 - The Mood of Horrific Events

     The sickening, and dreadful mood that was created in chapter three reminds me of what it seems to be like when a natural diaster hits. The Tsumnami in 2004 was heard all over the globe. Pictures were sent to newsteams across the world of devesation, starvation, and hundreds of dead. In the chapter, it wasn't a natural disaster that created the intense and grosteque picture, but a prisoner camp and trains, but still the mood creates dread. Hurricanes, tsunamis, and landslides, especially occuring in poorer areas, create a more dreadful and misery filled picture just like the mood in the chapter.

Entry 4, Chapter 2 - Cliche Alien Abductions

     When I first read Billy's passages describing his kidnapping by the Tralfamordians, I had a reaction like most people would have when hearing about a supposed "abduction by aliens." The idea that someone was kidnapped by aliens is so cliche in my mind, but Billy Pilgrim told his story in such a serious manner as though," that everything that he had said on the radio was true." I remember first hearing about the Rosewell UFO incident when I was in elementery school, and like any other sane kid, I believed that the whole incident was made up or simply blown out of porportion. That was a reaction most people have when they hear anything concerning the existence of aliens, and Billy Pilgrim was revealed in the book that his mindset was probably not all there. Many sightings of UFOs and reports of abduction have been told, but in the end most of these witnesses are claimed to be people with mental disorders or are looking for attention. Billy Pilgrim has been revealed to me, as every other "abductee" has been to me, a lunatic.

Entry 2, Chapter 1 - The "Good" of War?

     Vonnegut's expression of disapproval for war was not only shown through his dialogue, but through the words of Mary O'Hare. The content of Mary's statement," You were just babies in the war - like the ones upstairs" really summed up something I personally have felt for years about. War, guns, violence, etc, has never made me think that these things were made to protect us in the plan for attack. Vonnegut told his sons, "not to work for companies which make massacre machinery, and to express contempt for people who think we need machinery like that" because of his dissaproval for war itself. Guns and massacre machinery have just seemed so unecessary to me as a result of hearing about tragic events around the world. Recently, after the emotional Colorado movie theatre shooting, I have yet to understand why we, as a nation, allow anyone, proven sane or not, should be allowed to own and buy weapons like guns. Vonnegut himself is motivated to show the world that war isn't a good thing, and the production of massacre machinery is just something that further influences the "good" of war. Most people view tragic massacres in this country as "once in a blue moon" happenings like the Columbine High School and Virginia Tech shootings in the past years. Yet, all of this could be somewhat avoided if the production of weapons was lessened. War is not something to have adulation for, and definitely should not egged on persay by the production of guns and massacre machinery. I applaud Vonnegut for expressing discontent on the production of massacre machinery, and for his book which will show the world that war is not a pretty thing and can affect families everywhere just by a decision to sell a gun to a man who might be planning to murder or injure inncoent men, women, or children in a movie theatre. The influence of war is everywhere, in the media and in our own schools when talking about the victories of our nations in past wars, but when will war ever be something to look upon as "good"?