Chapter 2: Entry #2

“How did I get so old?”

            When Billy Pilgrim visited Pine Knoll, an old people’s home, his mother asked him a very intriguing question, “How did I get so old?” (Vonnegut 34). My grandparents will sometimes ask a question similar to Pilgrim’s mother’s question. My grandparents tend to ask it in a humorous way unlike the tone portrayed in the story. His mother’s tone seemed to be more somber and depressed. Although my grandparents’ tone is humorous, I am able to tell that they truly do wonder the same thing in a more serious attitude. This question is always on the mind of the aging. It seems as if their youth flies by, and they are stuck wondering why and how. This question flows very well with Billy Pilgrim’s “time travel” to the different years throughout his life. This helps to show that life passes quickly before our eyes and it will be close to the end before we know it. It seems as if one minute people are enjoying life as an adolescent and the next moment they are wondering, ““How did I get so old?”