In Chapter 4, the reader is exposed to more Tralfamadorians and more examples of the way they view time. Billy continues to speak so casually about time, as if it isn't anything specific, "It simply is" as the Tralfamadorians say on page 86. Billy becomes "slightly unstuck in time, and saw the late movie backwards, then forwards again" (74-75). The movie backwards starts with destruction and moves in reverse, so people are cleaning up their messes instead of making them. By the end of the movie (which is really the beginning), everything is back in its place and all the damage has been undone.
Billy is able to remain so casual and optimistic because he sees things so differently from other people. If all Earthlings saw everything as Billy did, there would be no need for war. Just a simple shift in time can show things in a much more positive light, as was shown with the reverse movie. What do you think would happen today if we had the ability to see time as the Tralfamadorians did? Would it solve conflicts or just create more?
I feel it might do a little of both. It might stop senseless conflicts but I would create smaller more personal problems. Everyone would be able to see you at your worst. If you ever lied or cheated someone else would be able to see you at that time. It would stop a lot of the big wars. Soldiers would be less likely to kill the enemy if they could see their whole lives. If the soldiers were able to see that the people they are supposed to be fighting have live and families they would be less likely to kill them. Also being able to see people's whole live would also stop terrorist attacks. Being able to see that a person it planning to do something would be a huge help in stopping crime before it happens.
ReplyDeleteI agree, I think that we would not see much sense in fighting battles against one another, but it would be hard to lie or do smaller things that might upset someone. However knowing that people might stop doing bad things all together because they know that someone will always figure it out.
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