More Spoilers

In Chapter 4, Vonnegut's odd method of foreshadowing makes another appearance. In it, he introduces the character of Edgar Derby. He is a schoolteacher from Indianapolis, a very physically and mentally adept man despite his old age. Rather than continue with the story, Vonnegut immediately states "that good body of his would be filled with holes by a firing squad in Dresden in eight  days. So it goes." In this sentence, Vonnegut briefly touches on what will become a major point in the story later on. The scene in which Derby is killed is a pivotal scene, showing fully the inherent absurdity of war, and yet it is plainly stated in two sentences at random when the character is introduced. This is used by Vonnegut to show that the meaning of the book is more important than the plot.