StAlbansStudent
posts on 11/7/2007 10:48:48 PM
Secret or misprint?
We in 20th Century American Literature class noticed an error in the text that we are debating whether to attribute to Vonnegut's minute brilliance or to an editor's mistake.
In the most recent edition of Slaughterhouse 5 that we read in class (the version with a V on the front):
on pg 25 "the plane crashed on Sugarbush mountain in Vermont. Everybody was killed but Billy. So it goes."
on pg 156 "the barbershop quartet on the airplane was singing 'wait til the sun shines nellie' When the plane smacked into the top of Sugarbish mountain in vermont. Everybody was killed but Billy and the copilot. So it goes."
Arguments in class were split between two theories-
Mr. Barbee explained that the latter quotation was a misprint. Since the copilot is not mentioned anywhere else in the novel, he is not a symbol as many other things are that were mentioned just twice (the barbershop quintet or the black and yellow colors at Tralfamadore and the prisoner camp)
Juliana and I thought otherwise. 28 years of editting and thousands of readers could not have glanced over the error without somebody noticing it. The copilot's resurrection stayed there because Vonnegut meant for it to be there. The fact that so many people glance over it is a statement in sync with the theme of the book- the disrespect for human life during world war II and Dresden. We do not notice that the pilot does not actually die because he is just one of the many lives lost in the story. So it goes.
This theory also follows the idea that Billy's consciousness is a linear progression, not the scizophrenic dissassociated mess of physical moments which make up his life. Later in the book, Billy becomes more knowledgebable and possibly learns that the copilot survived after the crash happened.
My class had different views on the inconsistency but I wanted to see what the online community thought- was Vonnegut's writing a misprint or a statement?
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The commentator Susie
posts on 4/26/2007 10:34:25 AM
need an understanding of Vonneguts Timequake. What's the point? How does it compare to his other books?
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The commentator Robert Daubert
posts on 12/14/2006 3:05:36 PM
I also looked at this website to see if I could get an address to send him a letter. Maybe I am cynical, but K. Vonnegut is one of the few living people I admire and wanted to inform him of such. I have been reading his work since I was a teenager. I guess that Nietszche would be an influence in the thought that art is the saving grace of the soul for it is the forward momentum of libido that keeps the Aqua Permanens at bay-too bad it still caught Nietszche.
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The commentator lorraine mceachern
posts on 10/16/2006 12:32:09 AM
Thank you Mr.vonnegut,
You've coloured and touched both my mind and life,
Lorraine
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posts on 9/21/2006 11:49:48 PM
read all his stuff- unique style and dark humour. sirens of titan was an epic- by the time it was over you felt you had been in every realm of existance possible. his non-sci-fi is also brilliant, full of childlike translations of adult issues, kurt is no-nonense yet full of humour. loving chuck p as well alex
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posts on 9/3/2006 1:11:49 PM
I have a first edition, advanced copy of Vonnegut's first book, Player Piano. There were only 25 to 30 copies made of the advanced copy. If you're interested, please let me know.
Photos are available.
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posts on 9/1/2006 10:48:45 AM
There are a few lines, in Palm Sunday I believe, in which VOnnegut talks about marraige; something along the lines of when people get divorced I wish they'd be honest with eachother and realize that it's impossible for two people to provide complete happiness to one another... along those lines.
Anyone know page numbers for this?
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The commentator Joseph DeMarco
posts on 2/21/2006 11:46:16 AM
This post is for Jessica...the easiest way to compare Slaughterhouse Five and Slapstick...would probably be to talk about death and repetition. They both have repetitive lines that are clearly about death...(And so it goes/Hi Ho)in Slaughter House Five it is clear that Vonnegut sees death as a natural part of life...death like war is evitable, "like trying to stop the sun from rising."
In slapstick however the Hi ho shows up as a hiccuping fear...a fear that that death will be a knocking soon for Mr. Vonnegut...and even though he is lonesome...it is clear he is not ready to go yet...
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The commentator Jake
posts on 2/21/2006 12:02:46 AM
Does anyone know if it is possible to send a letter to Mr. Vonnegut? I know e-mail is out of the question. I apologize if this is against the rules of this forum.
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jessica
posts on 2/15/2006 10:06:12 PM
im suppose to write a compare and contrast essay of slapstick and slaughter house-five and was wondering if anyone had any ideas of how i should go about that?
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The commentator Joseph DeMarco
posts on 1/8/2006 1:21:55 AM
A couple ideas that come to mind; war, politics, the Avian flu, anti-German feelings and cultural prejudices, genetic freaks, extended artificial family middle name, artificial family utopia, "Hi ho" is "a senile hiccup"...Vonnegut facing death the one end that won't go away.
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The commentator Frosty
posts on 1/5/2006 3:52:39 PM
Im doing my senior paper on slapstick and I need a theme. I enjoyed the book but also im struggling with developing a thesis for the paper. I want to tie the the hi ho use the hi hos as a subject or not really I just want some imput.
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Makaveli
posts on 11/16/2005 9:42:51 AM
I recently finished Sirens of Titan, and enjoyed it immensely. One question. Winston Rumfoord's Taj Mahal-esque palace was named something like Dun Roaman (not sure on the second word). What's the exact name of it? Is it latin? I Wanted to translate the name and now I can't figure it out. I returned the book to the library. Thanks a lot if anyone can help me out! Also, what's the next one by Mr. Vonnegut I should check out? I read sirens and slaughterhouse already. Tx again!
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The commentator Joseph DeMarco
posts on 11/7/2005 4:56:15 PM
I know last Father's Day he made an appearance in Chicago...I realize this doesn't help much but I only mention it because it proves that he does still make appearances...
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The commentator Joe
posts on 11/7/2005 4:27:27 PM
Does anyone know when or where Kurt will be making an appearance? Does he even come out anymore? I have not seen any info in a long time. I live in New York City and would really like to see him before he pushes up the daisies...so it goes...
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The commentator wayne
posts on 10/4/2005 9:51:24 PM
I was wondering if anyone knew if Vonnegut would be in Philadelphia in the near future?
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Koboi
posts on 9/26/2005 8:57:00 PM
Ok, I'm here, potterhater (I mean potterlover)
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Vanda De'lore
posts on 7/14/2005 1:57:22 PM
"A Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy" has nothing on Vonnegut! I read "Slaughterhouse 5" first, and it totally ruined the Guide. I didn't think it was anything but stupid after Billy Pilgrim and Kilgore Trout! Kiss kiss!
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Wes
posts on 7/14/2005 8:28:20 AM
A production of Vonnegut's play Happy Birthday Wanda June is going up at the Shubin Theater in Philadelphia this August. Show dates and time are August 4-6 and 8pm and August 7 at 3pm. The theater address is 407 Bainbridge Street (1 block from 4th & South) Philadelphia, PA 19147. For show info or to reserve tickets, please call 610-563-1029
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Janus
posts on 3/30/2005 11:08:50 AM
Joseph DeMarco:
you really name it, the first author i would compare to vonnegut is douglas adams! they have the same kind of humor although i think that adams is even better because he gets somehow more funny meaninglessness into his stories but maybe i'm preoccupied as i read adams in my mother tongue and vonnegut only in english ;)
greetz
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