As the novel nears its end, Billy Pilgrim is struck with conflicting emotions. The day after the German's surrender, he is lying happily in a tomb on wheels. The coffin shaped wagon stands a symbol for both the dead and the suffering of those who survived. It also stands for the loss of innocence suffered by the "babies" in this Children's Crusade. Billy now begins to suffer the loss and despair caused by the Americans' victory. This should be the happiest moment of his life, yet he weeps for this loss of innocence. After being scolded by the German couple for the condition of the horses, Billy bursts into tears. "He hadn't cried about anything else in the war." He is crying as he realizes the defeat that victory brings. It causes him despair for the loss of lives, innocence, and the burden of his memories he will carry with him throughout his life.
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