The diamond and the denture

Slaughterhouse 5 by Kurt Vonnegut

One symbol that comes up consistently in this story is that of the diamond and the denture. Billy comes across this odd duo in the most fortuitous of events. The possessions were on the inside pocket of an old civilian coat that Billy was given to by the Germans on his arrival at the POW camp. The interesting thing is that of all the jackets of the piles of clothes and of all the POW's, Billy just happened to be paired with the most dismal yet most rewarding jacket. For inside, is the ornate denture and a 2 carrot diamond. The significance of these two objects is beyond me, however they do carry on the story and help emphasize Billy's insanity. For one, the reason it took him so long to even know they were in his jacket was because "he was told not to find out what the lumps were" (Vonnegut 137). The mere fact that voices are dictating his actions at this point heighten his sense of lunacy. He is obviously quite memorized by the odd couple. At the point where the German doctor is berating Billy for his clownish outward appearance, Billy's only response is to palm the possessions in front of the man and smile. This simple action makes it appear that Billy believes it to be a much more substantial and meaningful gesture towards the man, as if the possessions hold some sort of higher meaning.