Slaughterhouse Five

A detailed Summary of Slaughterhouse Five

Critics often suggest that Kurt Vonnegut's novels represent a man's desperate, yet, futile search for meaning in a senseless existence. Vonnegut's novel, Slaughterhouse-Five, displays this theme. Kurt Vonnegut uses a narrator, which is different from the main character. He uses this technique for several reasons.

Kurt Vonnegut introduces Slaughterhouse Five in the first person. In the second chapter, however, this narrator changes to a mere bystander. Vonnegut does this for a specific reason. He wants the reader to realize that the narrator and Billy Pilgrim, the main character, are two different people. In order to do this, Vonnegut places the narrator in the text, on several occasions. "An American near Billy wailed that [Billy] had excreted everything but his brains...That was I. That was me." This statement clearly illustrates that the narrator and Billy are not the same person. The narrator was the

American disgusted by Billy. Vonnegut places the narrator in the novel in subtle ways. While describing the German prisoner trains, he merely states, "I was there." By not referring to Billy as I, Billy is immediately an individual person. I is the narrator, while Billy is Billy. Their sing

In Slaughterhouse-Five, Billy Pilgrim does find meaning. This occurs, when he is abducted by the Tralfamadores. The aliens tell him that there is no such thing as free will. "All time is all time. It does not change....Take it moment by moment, and you will find that we are all, as I've said before, bugs in amber." As the alien stated this, Billy felt inspired because now he knew that things were beyond his control. He could not change the past or the future. With this information, Billy begins to learn about the future. "I,

le connection is that they were both in the war.

O'Hare's wife, in chapter one, that the story would not do this. "...I give my word of honor. I'll call it the children's crusade." In order to do this, Vonnegut makes the main character a simple man. His name is Billy Pilgrim. His mission is to avoid anything that requires action or responsibility. This causes him to avoid finding meaning in his life; he regards the world as chaotic. The senseless act of war causes Billy to begin his search. "Billy is spastic in time, has no control over where he is going next, and the trips aren't necessarily fun. He is in a constant state of fright, he says, because he never knows what part of his life he is going to have to act in next." Time traveling symbolizes Billy's search for meaning. When an event is too difficult for him to handle, he travels in order to escape his fears. In chapter five, he is not only abducted by aliens, but he is also a prisoner of war. The two transpired at different times, but there is an ob

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Approximate Word count = 1053
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: Novels