Sneaking Around to Live

In this chapter the prisoners of war are working in a factory that makes a syrup-like substance. This syrupy substance is "enriched with vitamins and minerals"(160). The workers were constantly "spooning" the syrup, or sneaking spoonfuls of it. As prisoners the Americans weren't actually receiving proper nourishment and were deprived of just simple necessities like proper food. So they are forced to act like little children sneaking around trying not to get caught and hiding spoons just to survive. This reminded me of my brother trying to sneak a candy bar past my mom so he could enjoy it. But unlike the war prisoners my brother is properly fed and doesn't need to have more candy. This is a very keen idea of Vonnegut's to include this incident to explain how life was in the war.

A Grand Ole Epithet

After reading this nice brief chapter, I still found so much for the lack of length in this chapter. One thing I found was a repeated phrase to refer to Edgar Derby. While Billy was unconscious he traveled back to a time in the slaughterhouse when "he and poor old Edgar Derby were pushing an empty two-wheeled cart down a dirt lane between empty pens for animals" (157). In this quote I find an epithet describing Edgar as "poor old Edgar Derby." This phrase emphasizes that Edgar is a strong, honorable, humble, innocent old man man who is doomed to die for a small crime. Vonnegut uses this device to remind us of his characterization and to help provide a clear image of a "poor old Edgar Derby."