optimism in slaughterhouse five

"Essentially the entire novel comes down to this one

point; a hint of optimism in a dismal picture of the world. In the

novel, the phrase "bugs in amber" is used with some regularity, and

enclosed spaces abound - from an actual cave, to a train car, to the zoo,

and even to the enclosed space of prenatal "red light and bubbling

sounds." These enclosed spaces signify Billy's physical entrapment in

amber. In the movie no reference is made to "bugs in amber," and yet the

same effect is created with shots that always seem to include the

ceiling, creating a sense of enclosure. As in the novel, these 'caves'

can be unpleasant, scary, and associated with death, or they can be a

place of survival and security."