Chapter 7:Irony

"He stuck the lollipop into poor old derby's gaping mouth. A moment passed, and then Derby burst into tears."

     At the end of chapter 7, the final scene is confusing on the surface. Vonnegut uses irony to bring out Derby's inner feelings. As Billy,"...stuck the lollipop into poor old Derby's gaping mouth," he burst into tears, pouring from several emotions. Derby had to carry a great deal, being the leader of the Americans, along with depression, sadness, hunger, and hope. That single lollipop created a feeling of joy for Derby. He may have thought of his freedom in his childhood, using the lollipop as a connection between then and the past. The irony in this scene is that a full grown man is crying after receiving candy commonly associated with small children.