Study Questions

1. In what context have the blue and white feet of this chapter’s corpses previously appeared?

2. What precise phrase describes the condition of Weary’s feet?

3. How do the actions of the teenaged German soldier toward Billy contrast to Weary’s treatment of him?

4. What underlying misconception fuels Wild Bob’s ranting?

5. How does Vonnegut humanize the German guards?

6. What heavenly visions does Billy have in this chapter?

7. What is ironic about Billy’s lack of discussion at the Lions Club meeting he attends in this chapter?

8. How does the adult Billy’s attitude toward his son’s profession differ from what Vonnegut says he has inculcated in his sons?

9. What does the former hobo have to say about conditions on the boxcar?

10. Why was Billy thrown into a shrubbery by the Germans?

Answers

1. Chapter Two described Billy as having blue and white feet as he typed in the basement of his frigid house.

2. They are being turned into “blood puddings.”

3. While Weary was ready to beat Billy senseless, the German boy helps Billy to his feet.

4. Wild Bob is still imagining that war is neat. He is essentially living in a war movie rather than in the reality of war.

5. Rather than shooting at Billy when he is seen looking out of the ventilator of his boxcar, the guard just wags his finger at him.

6. Billy sees Adam and Eve in a German soldier’s boots and a little paradise inside the guard’s boxcar.

7. Even though Billy has seen the tremendous destruction and suffering caused by the bombing of Dresden, he registers absolutely no response, spoken or unspoken, to the Marine major who gives a speech in favor of bombing North Korea back to the Stone Age.

8. While Billy tells the Marine major that he is proud of his Green Beret son, Vonnegut has said that he has told his sons never to take part in massacres.

9. He says things aren’t so bad.

10. They wanted to stage an “actual capture” for a German reporter to photograph.