I am incapable of using technology. I wanted to illustrate a scene from SH5, but then I remembered that I am neither an artist nor do I possess the patience or gift for photoshop. But, I decided to give photoshop a try and this is what happened! I know its ugly, but its the best I could do. :)
So, what we have here is the scene from SH5 when Billy allows the sniper shooting at him another chance. I have included the bird that makes an appearance at the beginning and end of the novel, and also a Trafalmadorian
I particularly like this point of the novel because at this point, I did not know much about Billy. This moment just confused me, as I did not know what to think of someone who would purposely stand in the path of a bullet. However, after reading the rest of the novel, this moment makes sense. As Billy knows he will die at a much later point, it makes no difference whether or not the sniper gets another shot at him.
Billy's philosophy on life really fascinates me. Who are we to say that everything in life does not happen at once? It's a very surreal idea to me. However, if one lived like Billy, they would consequently know the details of their death. In my opinion, there is nothing worse than knowing your fate. Knowing how and when you will die may leave some people resigned to their fates, and become hopeless. Living properly should be about living with a focus on life and vitality, and not have an emphasis on death. After all, we are all meant to live in the 'amber of the moment'. When we only look back on what has already happened, we turn into a pillar of salt. When we focus on death, we lose hope for tomorrow.
To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all.
- Oscar Wilde
This made me think of Sh5:
Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards.
- Soren Kierkegaard
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ReplyDeletei love your photoshopped picture! =) i know that tomorrow in french you're gonna make a point to ask if i was being sarcastic but i'm not! the lego figures and the little alien spaceship in the corner made me chuckle =D i comprehended that the E.T. being was a Tralfamadorian, the forefigure was Bill Pilgrim, the one in the back was a hit man, and the grey-ish blurb was a bullet...though i am confused as to what the blue outlined rectangle is...(time warping perhaps?)
ReplyDeleteanyways, i totally agree with the idea that what if everything does happen all at once? it's strange to accept because we think in such a linear fashion. i would not want to know my own fate either, what a scary thought eh. though sometimes i want to know what's going to happen because surprise and suspense isn't all glitter and gold. ever felt like life isn't going by fast enough? i guess i'm an impatient person that way but i can relate to the idea that life shld deffs focus on living, not when we die.
i've actually never heard that "pillar of salt" line before and i really liked the staement in that!
as for hope for tomorrow, it's good to know you're optimistic person =) alot of people aren't about many thigns and it saddens me aha (seriously).