"If you think that death is a terrible thing, then you have not understood a word I've said." (142)
So, I may be taking a long shot here, but I've noticed a few similarites between Billy Pilgrim and Jesus Christ. Whether intentional or not, the author makes several references to Catholicism that I perceived as comparing the two. First, shown in the quote, Billy is urging the people he's speaking to to not view death as a terrible thing. This is much like Jesus, who teaches us that heaven, a place of joy and greatness, awaits after death. So both focus on the positive aspects of life since death is not lasting. Another part of that example that could be significant is that Billy, making a speech at a baseball field, is foretelling his death, his murder actually, concocted by Paul Lazzaro, which would be Judas.
Secondly, a quote from pg. 197 says, "Billy cried very little, though he often saw things worth crying about, and in that respect, at least, he resembled the Christ...." I must say I found it extremely ironic that Billy was crying over horses and not about any number of the gruesome stories he told in the novel. The example here is that Jesus did not cry at birth, which babies usually do. I'm not sure why that's significant, but it's a similarity between the two.
Lastly, even Billy's physical appearance, obviously awkward, is similar to that of Jesus' demeanor. He was an awkward match for war since he did not want to fight, nor was he ready to do it. Jesus shares the same kind quality. That, combined with the fact that Billy keeps wearing an "azure toga and silver shoes" (196) which (this is reeeeally a stretch) almost portrays him as a royal figure, leading the other soldiers, giving another comparison of Pilgrim and the Prince of Peace.
So, I may be taking a long shot here, but I've noticed a few similarites between Billy Pilgrim and Jesus Christ. Whether intentional or not, the author makes several references to Catholicism that I perceived as comparing the two. First, shown in the quote, Billy is urging the people he's speaking to to not view death as a terrible thing. This is much like Jesus, who teaches us that heaven, a place of joy and greatness, awaits after death. So both focus on the positive aspects of life since death is not lasting. Another part of that example that could be significant is that Billy, making a speech at a baseball field, is foretelling his death, his murder actually, concocted by Paul Lazzaro, which would be Judas. Secondly, a quote from pg. 197 says, "Billy cried very little, though he often saw things worth crying about, and in that respect, at least, he resembled the Christ...." I must say I found it extremely ironic that Billy was crying over horses and not about any number of the gruesome stories he told in the novel. The example here is that Jesus did not cry at birth, which babies usually do. I'm not sure why that's significant, but it's a similarity between the two.
Lastly, even Billy's physical appearance, obviously awkward, is similar to that of Jesus' demeanor. He was an awkward match for war since he did not want to fight, nor was he ready to do it. Jesus shares the same kind quality. That, combined with the fact that Billy keeps wearing an "azure toga and silver shoes" (196) which (this is reeeeally a stretch) almost portrays him as a royal figure, leading the other soldiers, giving another comparison of Pilgrim and the Prince of Peace.
Vonnegut's comparison of Billy to Jesus is very ironic. I think he is attacking society in the way they all believe that war is bad and Jesus is good, but yet they all partake in the war. Society (represented by Billy) is very hypocritical.
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