In class we've talked bout finding the "beautiful" moments in Slaughterhouse 5 in order to think of it as a Trafalmadorian novel. I think the problem with trying to make it fit this definition is the ambiguity of the term beautiful. One scene that could be considered beautiful is the raspberry sherbet colored snow. The coloration is gorgeous, and we could just stop the scene there instead of reading past the beauty to know the color is from blood (which takes away from the nice image you get from the sherbet). For this reason, I think finding the beautiful or happy moments in Slaughterhouse 5 is a shallow way to read the book. The endearing scenes have a much more lasting impact in my opinion because they contain lessons, so I believe we should focus on the moments that can teach us. This is in direct conflict with the Trafalmadorians though who don't think you can change anything.
I guess what I'm trying to say is, an adaptation of our definition of beautiful/happy needs to change in order to get the most out of this book (if we're reading it as if it's a Trafalmadorian novel). Looking for the pleasant parts leaves out the scenes of compassion and humanity that we can learn from. I've gained the most from scenes like Billy weeping over the horses' pain, where the overwhelming empathy the characters feel reaches you and makes you want to help. This effect of wanting to help fix problems in the world has the potential to be a successful method of stopping wars which could make this a successful anti-war novel.
I agree that the term "beautiful" can imply a superficial kind of "prettiness" that is inadequate to counterbalance all the horrible stuff in this narrative, but keep in mind the specific trio of qualities the Tralfs cite as what their novels offer: "suprising and beautiful and deep." So "beauty" in the image of the raspberry-blood-snow-sherbet is indeed surprising, and maybe even deep, but the "prettiness" is at odds with the somber content on the page.
ReplyDeleteBut what about "beauty" in the sense of human beings transcending their base nature and the bestial circumstances of war to behave decently to one another? The blind German innkeeper offering shelter to the Americans, as refugees and guests rather than "prisoners," seems like one such moment for me. An island of decency and sheer niceness amid horrific circumstances. "Beautiful" in a deeper sense--not superficially nice to look at but somehow *redeeming*.