chapter 9

"Later on, as a middle-aged optometrist, he would weep quietly and privately sometimes, but never make loud boohooing noises...Billy cried very little, though he often saw things worth crying about, and in that respect, at least, he resembled the Christ of the carol:

The cattle are lowing,

The Baby awakes.

But the little Lord Jesus

No crying he makes" (Vonnegut 197).

This quote is comparing Billy Pilgrim to Jesus Christ as he has seen many things worth crying about but rarely does. This picture is a rosary with Jesus on it and in this quote Billy is described as a Christ figure.

In the novel, Vonnegut alludes to Billy Pilgrim being a Christ figure. In this quote he mentions that Billy has seen many horrible things in his life, including much death and destruction, similarly to Jesus.  The only time he weeps during the war is not for himself, but for the injured horses. In the Bible, Jesus only weeps for others. Billy is described as weakly built and ordinary, like Jesus, and believes that he is the messenger of the Tralfamadorians and attempts to spread their teachings much like Jesus was a prophet for God.