Literary Luminary Slaughterhouse-Five, Chapter 8 Kristina Johnson

Passage 1- Pg. 172 Context- Billy is listening to the barbershop quartet of optometrists, “The Febs,” singing “That Old Gang of Mine” and this upsets Billy and he doesn’t know why. Passage- “Unexpectedly, Billy Pilgrim found himself upset by the song and the occasion.”

Interpretation I think he was upset because he never had a gang or real friends, people were kind of mean to him.

Passage 2- Pg.173 Context- Billy was being asked if he was okay due to his reaction and facial expressions during and after the the song “The Febs” sing. Passage- “He could find no explanation… he could not imagine what it was.”

Interpretation I think the big secret he had as that deep down he didn’t like himself. He didn’t have anyone that really liked him either. He was alone to some extent. Meaning sometimes people where there but didn’t notice, care, or acknowledge him.

Passage 3- Pg. 174 Context- It was after the quartets song. Billy was with his wife and Kilgore Trout who tried to make a guess to what had happened to Billy. Passage- “Can I make a guess… saw through a time window.”

Interpretation Kilgore Trout thinks Billy saw the past or the future through a time window. But truthfully Billy didn’t he only saw the faces of the four singers.

Passage 4- Pg. 175 Context- Billy was moving through the party and Kilgore Trout was shadowing him, he wanted to know what Billy had suspected or seen. Passage- “You ever put a full length mirror on the floor… all of a sudden realized that you were standing on thin air.”

Interpretation That he was just as scared as the dog look. Kilgore knew something had obviously up set him due to his reaction even though Billy denies it. Kilgore knows something is wrong; that something is bothering Billy.