“I’m going to lose weight for you,” she [Valencia Merble] said.“What?”“I’m going to go on a diet. I’m going to become beautiful for you.”“I like you just the way you are.”“Do you really?”“Really,” said Billy Pilgrim. He had already seen a lot of their marriage, thanks to time-travel, and knew that it was going to be at least bearable all the way.”
Explore This Quote Further
Analysis
In this quote from Kurt Vonnegut's "Slaughterhouse-Five," Valencia Merble expresses her desire to lose weight in order to become more beautiful for her husband, Billy Pilgrim. Despite her insecurities, Billy reassures her that he likes her just the way she is. This interaction highlights the theme of self-acceptance and the importance of unconditional love in a relationship. Through Billy's acceptance of Valencia, Vonnegut emphasizes the idea that true love transcends physical appearance and is based on accepting someone for who they are. This interaction also foreshadows the stability of their marriage, suggesting that their relationship will endure because of this understanding and acceptance of each other.
Modern Relevance:
In this passage from Kurt Vonnegut's novel, "Slaughterhouse-Five," the character Valencia Merble expresses her intention to lose weight and become more beautiful for her husband, Billy Pilgrim. However, Billy reassures her that he loves her just the way she is. This interaction highlights the importance of self-acceptance and unconditional love in relationships, even in a society that often emphasizes physical appearance.
In today's world, where social media and societal standards often place pressure on individuals to conform to certain beauty standards, this passage serves as a reminder of the value of accepting and loving oneself for who they are, rather than trying to change for others. It prompts reflection on the significance of genuine acceptance and unconditional love in relationships, emphasizing the importance of embracing one's true self.
Example of Usage
"I’m going to lose weight for you,” she [Valencia Merble] said.
“What?”
“I’m going to go on a diet. I’m going to become beautiful for you.”
“I like you just the way you are.”
“Do you really?”
“Really,” said Billy Pilgrim. He had already seen a lot of their marriage, thanks to time-travel, and knew that it was going to be at least bearable all the way.” - Kurt Vonnegut".
Reflection Questions:
In this passage from Kurt Vonnegut's novel, we see Valencia Merble expressing her desire to lose weight and become more beautiful for her husband Billy Pilgrim. This raises questions about self-image, acceptance, and the nature of relationships. Reflect on the following questions:
- How does Valencia's desire to change her appearance for her husband reflect societal pressures and expectations placed on women?
- Do you think Billy's response to Valencia's announcement is genuine, or is it influenced by his knowledge of their future together?
- What does this interaction reveal about the dynamics of their marriage and their level of self-acceptance?
- How does the concept of time-travel in the story add a unique perspective to the theme of self-image and relationships?
- How do you think Valencia's desire to change herself for her husband might impact their relationship in the long run?
Similar quotes
“Another time Billy heard Rosewater say to a psychiatrist, "I think you guys are going to have to come up with lot of wonderful new lies, or people just aren't going to want to go on living.”
“Billy heard Rosewater say to a psychiatrist, "I think you guys are going to have to come up with a lot of wonderful new lies, or people just aren't going to want to go on living.”
“Billy didn't want to marry ugly Valencia. She was one of the symptoms of his disease.He knew he was going crazy, when he heard himself proposing marriage to her., when he begged her to take the diamond ring and be his companion for life.”
“And Castle nodded sagely. 'So this is a picture of the meaninglessness of it all! I couldn't agree more.''Do you really agree?' I asked. 'A minute ago you said something about Jesus.''Who?' said Castle.'Jesus Christ?''Oh,' said Castle. 'Him.' He shrugged. 'People have to talk about something just to keep their voice boxes in working order, so they'll have good voice boxes in case there's ever anything really meaningful to say.''I see.' I knew I wasn't going to have an easy time writing a popular article about him. I was going to have to concentrate on his saintly deeds and ignore entirely the satanic things he thought and said.”
“If you want to really hurt you parents, and you don't have the nerve to be gay, the least you can do is go into the arts. I'm not kidding. The arts are not a way to make a living. They are a very human way of making life more bearable. Practicing an art, no matter how well or badly, is a way to make your soul grow, for heaven's sake. Sing in the shower. Dance to the radio. Tell stories. Write a poem to a friend, even a lousy poem. Do it as well as you possible can. You will get an enormous reward. You will have created something.”
“Eliza—” I said, “so many of the books I’ve read to you said love was the most important thing of all. Maybe I should tell you that I love you now.” “Go ahead,” she said. “I love you, Eliza,” I said. She thought about it. “No,” she said at last, “I don’t like it.” “Why not?” I said. ”It’s as though you were pointing a gun at my head,” she said. “It’s just a way of getting somebody to say something they probably don’t mean. What else can I say, or anybody say, but, ‘I love you, too’?”