Who's It Mocking? (Chapter 6)

There was a part of SlaughterHouse 5 that made laugh a little. It is ironic, stupid, exaggerated and doesn't make sense, also called satire. It is a part that an englishman, in the middle of a war, says: 'If you stop taking pride in your appearance, you will very soon die.' He said that he had seen several men die in the following way: They ceased to stand up straight, then ceased to shave or wash, then ceased to get out of bed, then ceased to talk, then died. There is this much to be said for it: it is evidently a very easy and painless way to go.' (Chapter 6, SH5.) I think it is the most stupid, exaggerated and senseless thing ever said! How could there be people so shameless and insolent. It is amazing how, when there are millions of people being killed, some by him, some beside him. Every day he sees dead people, hurt people, prisoners, and all he can think about is himself and how he looks! Apart from that, I thought the following: Why would a man, being surrounded by hundreds of other men in war, care for how he looks? There must be something wrong with this guy's sexual orientation or something!' I won't say anything else, because I don't want to make asumptions, but this guy really needs to check himself out.

Well, back to the satire, this statement has the four important elements to be considered satire. Irony: what more ironic that a man who cares about his looks in war. Exaggeration: 'If you stop taking pride in your appearance, you will very soon die.', obviously not bound to happen. Absurdity: the whole thing is absurd, doesn't make sense. Target: obviously the englishmen, being mocked for being dirty and smelly. I guess this answers my question, 'who's it mocking?'