Sunday, July 22, 2012

Indirect Characterization in Chapter 6

     After Paul Lazzaro was beat up, he promised to have the officer killed claiming that revenge is the sweetest thing.  He then went on saying "'You should have seen what I did to a dog one time.  Son if bitch bit me.  So I got me some steak, and I got me the spring out of a clock.  I cut that spring up in little pieces.  I put points on the ends of the pieces.  They were sharp as razor blades.  I stuck 'em into the steak--way inside.  And I went past where the dog was tied up.  He wanted to bite me again.  I said to him, 'Come on, doggie--let's be friends.  Let's not be enemies any more.  I'm not mad.'  He believed me.  I threw him the steak.  He swallowed it down in one big gulp.  I waited around for ten minutes.  Blood started coming out of his mouth.  He started crying, and he rolled on the ground, as though knives were on the outside of him instead of the inside of him. Then he tried to bite out his own insides.  I laughed...'"
     By describing Lazzaro's thoughts, words, and actions, Vonnegut is revealing what kind of person he is in a more effective way than just saying he is a revenge-loving ruffian with criminal tendencies.  The readers make the conclusion that Lazzaro is a sick, killing man who is not lying when he says he is going to kill Billy to revenge Roland Weary. 

1 comment:

  1. Vonnegut did a very good job with indirect characterization throughout the entire novel, but especially when he described Lazzaro in Chapter 6. Like you said Vonnegut included the thoughts and actions of Lazarro so that the reader could see his true character.

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