Slaughterhouse 5 Essay, Research Paper

Kurt Vonnegut wrote Slaughterhouse Five as well as many other novels.

Slaughterhouse Five is the story of Billy Pilgrim. Pilgrim is a time

traveling war veteran who is “unstuck” in time. The entire novel is a

journey through this universe. He visits strange planets and the bombing of

Dresden in Germany.

Human cruelty is the overall theme of the novel. It is the behavior of

men that they will harm anything weak. There is always a bully in every

community. Weary’s attitude as a bully is apparent in all sections of human

kind. The bombing in Germany is an example of human cruelty. It shows our

blind vengeance and little ability to reason. The mop-up after a battle also

proves this.

The complicating incidents are his continuing adventures during his

imprisonment in the war. The climax is the bombing of Dresden. The setting

varies in time and place in many instances but is mainly in Germany toward

the end of the war. Pilgrim even travels to distant galaxies, such as

Tralfamadore.

The major characters are Billy Pilgrim and Kilgore Trout. Billy Pilgrim

tries to survive the ordeals he is thrown into and is a true adventurer.

Trout is also stuck in the fray. The style of the novel is light and even

pretty funny. The language reflects the story and is wordy, and little

complicated . The book uses its comedy to help get the reader through the

complex plot. This book makes you think. All the sci-fi incidents capture

your imagination.