A small bird follows Billy Pilgrim throughout the story simply saying, "poo-tee-weet." An acknowledgment of the bird's presence and the sounding call is significant, considering it is one of the limited constants in Billy Pilgrim's life. The meaning of the phrase may not be explicitly displayed, but the interpretation and internalization of it will help chip away at the shell of the words to reveal a personal meaning. The entire time as I read Slaughterhouse-Five I wondered what the phrase could possibly mean. With each turn of the page, I could only hope Kurt Vonnegut would eventually reveal what the purpose and significance were of “poo-tee-weet.” Although the hopes of the meaning being revealed were crushed, the day came when I was encouraged to define “poo-tee-weet” for myself. Right or wrong, it did not matter. I thought about the question I had been asking for weeks, and now I had the opportunity to answer it in any way I deemed appropriate. For much of Slaughterhouse-Five, “poo-tee-weet” is written as a statement. This short statement was as if the bird is the whisper of hope for Billy. Billy needs the encouragement to keep going. So, for every time I read “poo-tee-weet” in the text, I added, keep going, Billy Pilgrim. There is one time in Slaughterhouse-Five that “poo-tee-weet” is written as a question. This may not seem like a profound detail to catch, but in this instance, it was everything. Suddenly, it could no longer mean the same thing in that context. Intonation and form now added an extra element to the meaning. All while Billy Pilgrim has been unstuck in time, underlying themes came into perspective. My renewed interpretation of the seemingly meaningless phrase now held two distinct meanings for me. Keep going, Billy Pilgrim. Where will time take you, Billy Pilgrim? Reflecting on Slaughterhouse-Five has been something I have wanted to for some time now. There are some elements of mystery that will forever remain a mystery, but one can still wonder. How would my life decisions be different if I had a little bird chirping “poo-tee-weet?” Would the nudge of something telling me to keep going push me beyond my limits and inspire a leap of faith? Would the question of where will time take me be enough of a reminder to never settle for something less when greatness is within my grasp? I would like to think that we all have the internal driving force telling us whatever motivation we need to live our lives. The chances of me ever meeting the answers to life questions are slim, but for as long as I live, I will make the most of what comes my way. May I always flutter in the wind. Stay Curious, Kayla ©Inquisitive Perspectives 2016
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