Literary Term - Chapter Seven: Symbols

In Chapter Seven, Billy Pilgrim is working in a factory that makes vitamin and mineral enriched syrup for pregnant women. Secretly, "Everybody who worked in the factory spooned the syrup all day long. They weren't pregnant, but they needed the vitamins and minerals, too." When Billy Pilgrim and Edgar Derby tried the syrup for the first time, they became very emotional. Spooning the syrup is a symbol for hope. Symbols are people, places, things, or events that stand for something more than itself. This action of spooning syrup into their mouths gives the workers hope and nourishment. They get hope that there are still simple pleasures that they can enjoy.