Elements of Satire

Candide Chapter 3
Elements of Satire

Hyperbole- Bugles, fifes, oboes, drums, and salvoes of artillery produced such a harmony as Hell itself could not rival.
Irony- Trembled like a philosopher.
Absurdity- It was now no more than a smoking ruin, for the Bulgars had burned it to the ground in accordance with the terms of international law.
Targeted- Kings.

A boy

In most biographies, childhood has the best memories. No matter the circumstances, everything is magical and people around you feed the magic and try to hide you from the truth.

This half man with a growing identity lives in Wonder world, until he grows. Though the memory of those years will always remain in the person and he will open the memory for strength and regret, for those years instilled most of the values and lessons you will use in life. However, most of us can’t let go of that world and we waste most of our lives chasing an idea of a beautiful life that was actually a mix between discovery and lies.
But what we don’t recognize, is the fortune we have for growing out of this stage. Imagine that we had stayed. No, even better. Don’t imagine anything, just ask Candide how is to live as a child in a grown up world and body.

Peter Pan is amazingly happy and in a perfect state, though everything is wrong. He was abandoned heart broken, went to jail, had to fight though with no ideology and was completely alone. And yet, he has the luxury to live without an opinion, be selfish, arrogant, naïve and interested for money, elegance and name. Is this even a characteristic of a child? I don’t think so. They are rather the characteristics of an idiot, because at least a child learns, has feelings and remains loyal to himself and to the people he loves.

In other words, we are not talking about a child. No, we are talking about something even less. Someone without an identity, but this figure is not growing one, learning and is too cruel to be innocent and naïve. So what are we handling? Is it a monarch? Is it an animal? Or is it the combination of both with the bond of an idiot? Wait. Are we talking about Candide?

Versailles Photo Gallery

Leaders

Versailles has a very interesting photo gallery in the room dedicated to heroic paintings. For every painting, there is a black and white picture that tries to demonstrate how does the war really looks in the scene painted. The contrast between both representations shows us how grew out of the idea that war is heroic and learned that it is tragic. However, I did notice some similarities about both points of views about war, or they just took the position and the rifle because they had to? Warriors fight for an ideology, murderers fight for nothing. Candide.
There was one picture that really impressed me because there was a German and an American soldier pictured together fighting. When I saw the picture, I thought that they didn’t have any problem or issue against each other, and yet they had to fight. Also, do these kids even share the same ideology as they are expected?
The leaders of both sides are shown resting watching the war. They are coward. And in the case, that any of this figures have to move a finger or live through one night of struggle the Chihuahuas would “Perish with cold and hunger” (Candide. Voltaire. Pg.22).
And the funniest part about all the Candides that have patched our history is that they really think that people like them. For example, I recognize Napoleon for trying to persuade the people and at least he pretended to be completely in their side. However, other fancy Thunder-ten-tronckh that believe that people “We’ll pay your share, and what’s more we shall not allow a man like you to go short on money.” (Candide. Voltaire. Pg.23). We expect that a well educated and emotional sensible person will decline the offer with humbleness, and responding “ ‘You are quite right,” (Candide. Voltaire. Pg. 23).
What would we do with our heroes?

Epictetus Opened Letter

Dear Epictetus,

I have read the poem, The Road not Taken by Robert Frost on my own. I had to do some close reading on my own in order to notice the key elements, though I have to admit that it is a very tricky poem and probably I fell into the trap.

Robert writes about choosing a path but not being satisfied with it and later wondering about how the other is. But isn’t this a little bit obvious?
If you have to choose one of very similar choices you look at the strengths and the weaknesses of both, and yet both of them seem pretty good. With this struggle you choose any one of them. As you walk the road, the strengths of the other road begin to appear filling your rational and emotional part of your brain, giving you no space to enjoy and notice the road you are walking.
As you decide that the other road was better, you change. After taking some steps, you are able to compare both of them, because you have the experience of both roads. As you compare, you notice that both roads have pretty much the same strengths, but you find more faults in the one you are walking because you can detect more in what you are seeing, than the ones you were able to safe in your memory.
Then you come to one of these conclusions: 1) You find out that you didn’t live and detect the first road well, because you didn’t investigate it well, so you want to go back. 2) Your find more faults in the second road, because what you are living has an advantage over your memory, so you want to return to the first road.

Finally, it doesn’t matter what you like or dislike or the road you prefer. Your decision is based on the road you choose first. Also, it would be a turning point if you add a second person that takes the road you left out. In this case, you would be playing with pride, jealousy and more curiosity than before.

But then Epictetus, how do we know what we want? What constrains are there to maintain a neutral position?

Thank you for the attention,

SARA

Love Reality

Slaughterhouse-Five is one of those books that try to make you realize that most of what we do is pathetic, especially when we don’t use our heart and love. War demonstrates best what Kurt wants to say and talks about a relationship love. However, ending the book, I want to focus in the women and the love between two people of the separate sexes, since we see a similar pattern in this branch as in the rest of the departments Kurt talked about.

Billy, Kilgore or Kurt (however you want to call him) had a sense of love different from the typical romantic cheesy love, probably because of the estrogen he had the chance to meet. Like every man, Billy had to decide between the ladies in disposition for him, but each one had their defects and strengths.
The first women Billy had the chance to look at didn’t demonstrate him any love, but more sight pleasure. In this case the number one was the “Dirty picture of a woman attempting sexual intercourse with a Shetland pony.” (Kurt Vonnegut. Slaughterhouse-Five). And to complete Billy’s wrong image of women, he saw the naked girls in the slaughterhouse by mistake, sharing their body sight but not their love. For this reason we can forgive Billy for making mistakes with the real women in his life, he didn’t have a good impression of them since the beginning.

Bachlorette number one: Valencia Merble. This lady is “the daughter of the owner of the Ilium School of Optometry.” (Kurt Vonnegut. Slaughterhouse-Five) so in her favor she is rich. If you choose her, you will have to feed her appetite that has her “as big as a house” (Kurt Vonnegut. Slaughterhouse-Five) and will have to sleep with this lady and have her “snoring like a bandsaw” (Kurt Vonnegut. Slaughterhouse-Five) for the rest of the night.
“Billy didn't want to marry ugly Valencia. She was one of the symptoms of his disease.” (Kurt Vonnegut. Slaughterhouse-Five). But why would Billy want to reject such an offer? And Valencia has a bonus, with her Billy can get a wonderful daughter, Barbara. This girl is known for loving her father and taking care of him since she thought, “her father was senile” (Kurt Vonnegut. Slaughterhouse-Five), and known for her delicate temper.

Billy, it’s all right if you didn’t love the idea of Valencia, we have other ladies in line. Bachlorette number two, is next in line is, the “Movie star named Montana Wildhack.” (Kurt Vonnegut. Slaughterhouse-Five). If you choose this first class lady, you will have the fortune to take her to space in a Trafalmadorian honeymoon. Not only will she give you a son, but also “In time, Montana came to love and trust Billy Pilgrim. He did not touch her until she made it clear that she wanted him to.” (Kurt Vonnecut. Slaughterhouse-five). Nevertheless, Billy, don’t be too hasty by choosing her. If you pick her, you run the risk of not seeing her in a long time or she might probably be only an illusion to you.

Yes, it is a hard decision for you Billy. All of the choices are very appealing but it is time to choose, between these two great love offers. But take your time Billy, no matter who you choose you will have a complete love life, don’t you worry.

Nothing is for Sure

“Would you like to know the future?” I ask my sister. “No.” “Would you like to know the future, mom?” “No,” she answers and adds, “the only thing that is for sure, sweetie, is: we are all going to die.”

I agree with her. No matter how great the future is we are all end alone six feet under or dancing with the wind. I think that from all of us, Billy Pilgrim is the one that understands this more. That’s why I pity him.

There is nothing more delicious than being surrounded with the people you love, listening how the wind moves the leaves from their place and the birds singing with the breath of nature. But there is nothing more awful than being surrounded with the people you love, listening how the wind moves the leaves from their place and the birds singing with the breath of nature, if you know that it is all going to end with the coming of bombs and tears are coming. This is what took Billy Pilgrims joy. He wasn’t able to love and enjoy the small moments of his life, nor he could experience feelings that color and shade life. All this was extracted from him and Billy Pilgrim became one insignificant body in a world of six million souls.

Billy could play with the clock. He saw the horrors in the beginning of the century and the same sight in the middle of it. No matter how much time had passed “ He was expecting World War Three at any time.” (Kurt Vonnecut. Slaughterhouse-Five, pg.57) He wasn’t worried about catching up in the new advances, luxuries and history of the future, because only two things are for sure: humans will always be monsters killing their own race, and we are all going to die.

Although Pilgrim is the perfect character to make a difference in the world, and bring people together for a better future and become the next influential person, he gave up. He understood from the beginning the people would become cold hearted and preferred to live without feelings than having them and learning to manage sufferement and happiness. Also, they decided to replace love for pleasure, and so did he, skipping the time, effort and commitment to grow a relationship, he preferred to watch “…a dirty picture of a woman attempting sexual intercourse with a Shetland pony.” (Kurt Vonnecut. Slaughterhouse-Five.pg.40) Billy Pilgrim gave up on people because only three things are for sure: pleasure replaced love, humans will always be monsters killing their own race, and we are all going to die.

But, why didn’t Billy Pilgrim change and stand out from the crowd? Why didn’t he break the cycle and quit the flow? Well, “Among the things Billy Pilgrim could not change were the past, the present and the future.” (Kurt Vonnecut, Slaughterhouse-Five, pg.60). Billy knew that for the rest of history humans would repeat the same mistake and his own destiny was already written. So, why take the effort to change if only four things are for sure: our future is already written and there is nothing to do, pleasure replaced love, humans will always be monsters killing their own race, and we are all going to die.

“Billy was not moved to protest the bombing of North Vietnam, did not shudder about the hideous things he himself had seen bombing do. He was simply having lunch with the Lions Club, of which he was past president now.” (Kurt Vonnecut, Slaughterhouse- Five, pg.60) This demonstrates the person that Billy became. He is a demonstration of the attitude and the mind that humans have build. He is the image of what he have become.

Death

You know it is going to happen to you, to me, to everyone. No exeptions. Since your first years of experience you see it happen, leaves fall down, the butterfly sits cold and your fingernails turn white. Death visits other doors, taking your most precious souls, while others bring the same fate to themselves, and you wonder why? If you have the misfortune to be one of the last left you think you learned how to manage it, if its you own or another persons. However, no you don’t get it, you have no idea and you’ll never have one.

Tuesdays with Morrie was one of the first books I ever liked for being able to traduce my thoughts into words, and I remember clearly the professor once said: “Everyone knows they’re going to die,” he said again, “but nobody believes it. If we did we would do things differently.” (Mitch Albon. Tuesdays with Morrie. Pg.81)

Billy Pilgrim said in his death day to a crowd: “It is high time I was dead,” he says. “Many years ago,” he said, “a certain man promised to have me killed. He is an old man now, living not far from here. He has read all the publicity associated with my appearance in your fair city. He is insane. Tonight he will keep his promise.” (Kurt Vonnegut. Slaughterhouse-Five. pg.142). It is interesting to see how Billy thinks he knows it all and has his own death planned out. And yes, it grows some real hate and stress to see someone confident about death, something nobody knows about. But does he? He has seen the way thousands have died and he is all alone, so does he really know what he is saying? Or is it just a drama and showoff to the crowd?

No, no and no. Im sure, Billy Pilgrim was showing of. Jesus new he was going to die even before he has born, and yet he sweated blood, so no. Billy or wasn’t conscious that he was going to die or he was just acting.

Who is Billy?

I finally understood who is Billy. During the book I was suspicious of Billy and all the weird things that happened to him but now I get it, and many questions have been answered.

“Billy glanced dully at the coats of his neighbors. Their coats all had brass buttons or tinsel or piping or numbers or stripes or eagles or moons or stars dangling from them. They were soldiers’ coats, Billy was the only one who had a coat from a dead civilian. So it goes.” (Kurt Vonnecut. Slaughterhouse-Five. pg.82) cleared my mind. Billy is not a person, he is the representation of the characters. I understood it because when I read the passage, I understood that the soldiers were actually dead civilians. In other words, the men were dressed as soldiers but actually they were Billy, an agonizing person walking towards death with a coat that belongs to the underworld.

Having this on my mind know, I made the connection with the scene when the prisoners were on their way to the concentration camp during the train.
“Nearly everybody, seemingly, had an atrocity story of something Billy Pilgrim had done to him in sleep. Everybody told Billy Pilgrim to keep the hell away.
So Billy Pilgrim had to sleep standing up, or not asleep at all. And food had stopped coming in through the ventilators, and the days and nights were colder all the time.” (Kurt Vonnecut, Slaughterhouse-Five. Pg.79) In this scene Billy pilgrim was represents the mortified prisoners that couldn’t sleep and didn’t fit anywhere finding themselves far from home.
The same Billy is demonstrated in pg.80 when Kurt writes about the last words of Weary: “Who killed me?” he would ask.
And everybody knew the answer, which was this: “Billy Pilgrim.” Again, Billy didn’t kill Weary, he was only there to represent the despair he had to carry around that got him tire, out of the Three Musketeers and die.

So, who is Billy Pilgrim? This person is the compilation of all the real story of the characters in the scenes. He is how Kurt Vonnecut sees war, love, horrors, lies, despair, hate, and revenge. He is how Kurt Vonnecut sees humans.