Chapter 4 - Orange and Black

"The locomotive and the last car of each train were marked with a striped banner of orange and black, indicating that the train was not fair game for airplanes - that it was carrying prisoner of war."

     This statement from chapter three represents the imprisonment Billy has felt in his life since the war.  He had been trapped in time until he was introduced to the idea of becoming unstuck in time by the tralfamadorians.  He was trapped in this state until he was taken by the tralfamadorians on the night of his daughter's wedding.  Vonnegut noted in chapter four that "The wedding [Barbara's] had taken place that afternoon in a gaily striped tent in Billy's backyard.  The stripes were orange and black."  The orange and black tent recalls the orange and black banners from the locomotives transporting the prisoners of war.  I believe this represents that Barbara is off limits to other men because she is now married; moreover, the orange and black stripes show that Vonnegut believes marriage is reminiscent of being a prisoner of war and Billy's imprisonment in life.