kurt vonnegut-slaughter house 5
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Kurt Vonnegut
Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. (November 11, 1922 – April 11, 2007) was a prolifi an! genre"
ben!ing Amerian novelist #nown for wor#s blen!ing satire, bla# ome!$ an! siene
fition, su% as Slaughterhouse-Five (19&9), Cat's Cradle (19&'), an! Breakfast of
Champions (197')
Early years
Kurt Vonnegut was born to fourt%"generation erman"Amerian parents, son an!
gran!son of ar%itets in t%e n!ianapolis firm Vonnegut * +o%n, on Armistie a$- As a
stu!ent at .%ortri!ge /ig% .%ool in n!ianapolis, Vonnegut wor#e! on t%e nations first !ail$
%ig% s%ool newspaper, The Daily Echo- /e atten!e! ornell niversit$ from 1930 to 193',
w%ere %e serve! as assistant managing e!itor an! assoiate e!itor for t%e stu!ent
newspaper, t%e Cornell Daily Sun, an! ma4ore! in %emistr$- 5%ile atten!ing ornell, %e was
a member of t%e elta psilon 6raternit$, following in t%e footsteps of %is fat%er- 5%ile at
ornell, Vonnegut was !rafte! into t%e -.- Arm$- %e arm$ sent %im to t%e arnegie nstitute
of e%nolog$ (now arnegie 8ellon niversit$) an! t%e niversit$ of ennessee to stu!$
me%anial engineering-
World War II
Kurt Vonneguts eperiene as a sol!ier an! prisoner of war %a! a profoun! influene
on %is later wor#- As a :rivate wit% t%e 10&t% nfantr$ ivision, Vonnegut was ut off from %is
battalion along wit% ; ot%er battalion souts an! wan!ere! be%in! enem$ lines for several
!a$s until apture! b$ 5e%rma%t troops on eember 13, 1933- mprisone! in res!en,
Vonnegut witnesse! t%e fire bombing of res!en in 6ebruar$ 193;, w%i% !estro$e! most of
t%e it$- Vonnegut was one of a few Amerian prisoners of war in res!en to survive, in t%eir
ell in an un!ergroun! meat lo#er of a slaug%ter%ouse t%at %a! been onverte! to a prison
amp- %e a!ministration buil!ing %a! t%e postal a!!ress Schlachthof Fünf (.laug%ter%ouse
6ive) w%i% t%e prisoners too# to using as t%e name for t%e w%ole amp- Vonnegut realle!
t%e failit$ as <tter !estrution<, <arnage unfat%omable-< %e ermans put %im to wor#
gat%ering bo!ies for mass burial- <+ut t%ere were too man$ orpses to bur$- .o instea! t%e
Na=is sent in troops wit% flamet%rowers- All t%ese ivilians remains were burne! to as%es-<
%is eperiene forme! t%e ore of one of %is most famous wor#s, Slaughterhouse-Five, an!is a t%eme in at least si ot%er boo#s-
Vonnegut was free! b$ >e! Arm$ troops in 8a$ 193;- pon returning to Ameria, %e
was awar!e! a :urple /eart for w%at %e alle! a <lu!irousl$ negligible woun!,< later writing
in Timeuake t%at %e was given t%e !eoration after suffering a ase of <frostbite-<
Post-war career
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After t%e war, Vonnegut atten!e! t%e niversit$ of %iago as a gra!uate stu!ent in
ant%ropolog$ an! also wor#e! as a polie reporter at t%e it$ News +ureau of %iago-
Aor!ing to Vonnegut in Bagom!o Snuff Bo" , t%e universit$ re4ete! %is first t%esis on t%e
neessit$ of aounting for t%e similarities between ubist painters an! t%e lea!ers of late
19t% entur$ Native Amerian uprisings, sa$ing it was <unprofessional-< /e left %iago to
wor# in .%eneta!$, New ?or#, in publi relations for eneral @letri- %e niversit$ of
%iago later aepte! %is novel Cat's Cradle as %is t%esis, iting its ant%ropologial ontentan! awar!e! %im t%e 8-A- !egree in 1971-
n t%e verge of aban!oning writing, Vonnegut was offere! a tea%ing 4ob at t%e
niversit$ of owa 5riters 5or#s%op- 5%ile %e was t%ere, Cat's Cradle beame a best"seller,
an! %e began Slaughterhouse-Five, now onsi!ere! one of t%e best Amerian novels of t%e
20t% entur$, appearing on t%e 100 best lists of Time maga=ine an! t%e 8o!ern Bibrar$-
Vonnegut !ie! on April 11, 2007, in 8an%attan after a fall at %is 8an%attan %ome
several wee#s prior resulte! in irreversible brain in4uries-C2DC21DC22D
Writing career
Vonneguts first s%ort stor$, <>eport on t%e +arn%ouse @ffet< appeare! in t%e 6ebruar$11, 19;0 e!ition of Collier's (it %as sine been reprinte! in %is s%ort stor$ olletion, <5elometo t%e 8on#e$ /ouse<)- /is first novel was t%e !$stopian novel #layer #iano (19;2), in w%i%%uman wor#ers %ave been largel$ replae! b$ ma%ines- /e ontinue! to write s%ort storiesbefore %is seon! novel, The Sirens of Titan, was publis%e! in 19;9-C2&D %roug% t%e 19&0s,t%e form of %is wor# %ange!, from t%e relativel$ ort%o!o struture of Cat's Cradle (w%i% in1971 earne! %im a masters !egree) to t%e alaime!, semiautobiograp%ial Slaughterhouse-Five, given a more eperimental struture b$ using time travel as a plot !evie-
%ese strutural eperiments were ontinue! in Breakfast of Champions (197'), w%i%inlu!e! man$ roug% illustrations, lengt%$ non"seEuiturs an! an appearane b$ t%e aut%or %imself, as a deus e" machina-
Vonnegut attempte! suii!e in 19F3 an! later wrote about t%is in several essa$s-Breakfast of Champions beame one of %is best"selling novels- t inlu!es, in a!!ition to t%eaut%or %imself, several of Vonneguts reurring %araters- ne of t%em, siene fitionaut%or Kilgore rout, pla$s a ma4or role an! interats wit% t%e aut%ors %arater-
n mu% of %is wor#, Vonneguts own voie is apparent, often filtere! t%roug% t%e
%arater of siene fition aut%or Kilgore rout (w%ose name is base! on t%at of real"lifesiene fition writer %eo!ore .turgeon), %arateri=e! b$ wil! leaps of imagination an! a!eep $niism, tempere! b$ %umanism- n t%e forewor! to Breakfast of Champions,Vonnegut wrote t%at as a %il!, %e saw men wit% loomotor ataia, an! it stru# %im t%att%ese men wal#e! li#e bro#en ma%inesG it followe! t%at %ealt%$ people were wor#ingma%ines, suggesting t%at %umans are %elpless prisoners of !eterminism- Vonnegut alsoeplore! t%is t%eme in Slaughterhouse-Five, in w%i% protagonist +ill$ :ilgrim <%as omeunstu# in time< an! %as so little ontrol over %is own life t%at %e annot even pre!it w%i%part of it %e will be living t%roug% from minute to minute- Vonneguts well"#nown p%rase <.o itgoes<, use! ironiall$ in referene to !eat%, also originate! in Slaughterhouse-Five an!
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beame a slogan for anti"Vietnam 5ar protestors in t%e 19&0s- <ts ombination of simpliit$,iron$, an! rue is ver$ mu% in t%e Vonnegut vein-<
n April 200F, t%e onl$ post%umous boo# b$ Vonnegut, Armage!!on in >etrospet, waspublis%e!- t inlu!e! never before publis%e! s%ort stories b$ t%e writer an! a letter t%at waswritten to %is famil$ !uring 55 w%en Vonnegut was apture! as a prisoner of war- %e boo#also ontains !rawings t%at Vonnegut %imself !rew an! a few spee%es t%at %e gave- %eintro!ution of t%e boo# was written b$ %is son, 8ar# Vonnegut-
Politics
/e was !eepl$ influene! b$ earl$ soialist labor lea!ers, espeiall$ n!iana natives:owers /apgoo! an! @ugene V- ebs, an! %e freEuentl$ Euotes t%em in %is wor#- /e name!%araters after bot% ebs (@ugene ebs /art#e in $ocus #ocus an! @ugene ebs 8et=ger in Deadeye Dick ) an! >ussian ommunist lea!er Beon rots#$ (Beon rots#$ rout in%al&pagos)- /e was a lifetime member of t%e Amerian ivil Biberties nion an! wasfeature! in a print a!vertisement for t%em-
Vonnegut freEuentl$ a!!resse! moral an! politial issues but rarel$ !ealt wit% speifi
politial figures until after %is retirement from fition- (Alt%oug% t%e !ownfall of 5alter .tarbu#, a minor Nion a!ministration bureaurat w%o is t%e narrator an! main %arater inail!ird (1979), woul! not %ave ourre! but for t%e 5atergate san!al, t%e fous is not ont%e a!ministration-) /is olletion %od Bless (ou) Dr* +evorkian referene! ontroversialassiste! suii!e proponent Ha# Kevor#ian-
n , an .ithout a Country , %e wrote t%at <eorge 5- +us% %as gat%ere! aroun! %imupper"rust "stu!ents w%o #now no %istor$ or geograp%$-< /e !i! not regar! t%e 2003eletion wit% mu% optimismG spea#ing of +us% an! Ho%n Kerr$, %e sai! t%at <no matter w%i%one wins, we will %ave a .#ull an! +ones :resi!ent at a time w%en entire vertebrate speies,beause of %ow we %ave poisone! t%e topsoil, t%e waters an! t%e atmosp%ere, are
beoming, %e$ presto, not%ing but s#ulls an! bones-<n 200;, Vonnegut was interviewe! b$ avi! Nason for The ,ustralian- uring t%e
ourse of t%e interview Vonnegut was as#e! %is opinion of mo!ern terrorists, to w%i% %ereplie!, < regar! t%em as ver$ brave people-< 5%en presse! furt%er Vonnegut also sai! t%at<%e$ Csuii!e bombersD are !$ing for t%eir own self"respet- ts a terrible t%ing to !eprivesomeone of t%eir self"respet- ts Cli#eD $our ulture is not%ing, $our rae is not%ing, $ourenot%ing --- t is sweet an! nobleIsweet an! %onourable guess it isIto !ie for w%at $oubelieve in-< (%is last statement is a referene to t%e line < ule et !eorum est pro patriamori< C<it is sweet an! appropriate to !ie for $our ountr$<D from /oraes /des, or possibl$ to5ilfre! wens ironi use of t%e line in %is Dulce Et Decorum Est -) Nason too# offense at
Vonneguts omments an! %arateri=e! %im as an ol! man w%o <!oesnt want to live an$more --- an! beause %e ant fin! an$t%ing wort%w%ile to #eep %im alive, %e fin!s !efen!ingterrorists some%ow amusing-< Vonneguts son, 8ar#, respon!e! to t%e artile b$ writing ane!itorial to t%e Boston %lo!e in w%i% %e eplaine! t%e reasons be%in! %is fat%ers<provoative posturing< an! state! t%at <f t%ese ommentators an so ba!l$ misun!erstan!an! un!erestimate an utterl$ unguar!e! @nglis%"spea#ing F'"$ear"ol! man wit% an etensivepubli reor! of sa$ing eatl$ w%at %e t%in#s, ma$be we s%oul! worr$ about %ow well t%e$un!erstan! an enem$ t%e$ ant figure out w%at to all-<
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.laug%ter%ouse"6ive
Slaughterhouse-Five; or, The Children's Crusade: A Duty-Dance With Death is a
19&9 novel b$ Kurt Vonnegut- ne of %is most popular wor#s an! wi!el$ regar!e! as a
lassi, it ombines siene fition elements wit% an anal$sis of t%e %uman on!ition from an
unommon perspetive, using time travel as a plot !evie- %e bombing of res!en in 5orl!
5ar , t%e aftermat% of w%i% Vonnegut witnesse!, is t%e starting point
:lot intro!ution
Slaughterhouse-Five spans t%e life of a man w%o %as <ome unstu# in time-< t is t%e
stor$ of +ill$ :ilgrim eperiening !ifferent time perio!s of %is life, most notabl$ %is
eperiene in 5orl! 5ar an! %is relations%ip wit% %is famil$- %e boo# is a series of
seemingl$ ran!om %appenings t%at, in ombination, present t%e t%emati elements of t%e
novel in an unraveling or!er-
Explanation of the novels title%e title page of Vonneguts novel ontains t%e title an! a brief aut%or biograp%$, w%i%
presages man$ of t%e t%emes of t%e novelJ
Slaughterhouse-Five or The Children's Crusade0 , Duty-Dance .ith Death b$ Kurt Vonnegut, a
fourt%"generation erman"Amerian now living in ape o!, w%o, as an Amerian infantr$ sout %ors
!e ombat, as a prisoner of war, witnesse! t%e fire"bombing of res!en, erman$, <%e 6lorene of
t%e @lbe,< a long time ago, an! survive! to tell t%e tale-
%e s%ort title, <.laug%ter%ouse"6ive,< refers to t%e slaug%ter%ouse (Schlachthof-Fünf inerman) in w%i% t%e main %arater, +ill$ :ilgrim, sta$s as a prisoner of war in res!en
!uring t%e firebombing- (+ill$s fitional eperiene of t%e slaug%ter%ouse parallels Vonneguts
own eperiene as a prisoner of war in res!en-) Vonnegut, as %e !oes in some of %is ot%er
wor#s su% as Breakfast of Champions, offers an alternative title for t%is boo#J The Children's
Crusade0 , Duty-Dance .ith Death* %e narrator eplains t%at t%e first part of t%e subtitle in
t%e first %apter is a referene to t%e %il!rens rusa!e of t%e 1't% entur$, in w%i% %il!ren
were sol! as slaves (some people !ispute t%e fats of t%e atual %istorial event, but for
literar$ purposes, t%e purposeful selling of %il!ren into slaver$ is t%e inten!e! meaning)-
n t%e first %apter of t%e novel, t%e narrator relates %ow %e visite! a former Arm$
bu!!$C1D to !isuss ini!ents %e mig%t use in t%e novel- /is frien!s wife gave %im a ol!
reeption an! finall$ !enoune! %im for wanting to write a novel in w%i% %e an! %is frien!s
woul! be %eroes instea! of simpl$ sare! $oung men, an! t%at woul! enourage more wars
in w%i% %il!ren woul! be sent to !ie- %e narrator agrees t%at %e an! %is frien!s were
not%ing more t%an %il!ren on t%e brin# of a!ult%oo!- n t%e spot, %e promise! to all t%e
novel <%e %il!rens rusa!e<- /e writes, <.%e was m$ frien! after t%at<-
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t%er portions of t%e title are eplaine! in t%e narrative- 6or instane t%e <ut$"ane
wit% eat%< refers to t%e writings of Bouis"6er!inan! line, w%i% are !isusse! in t%e
preamble-
:lot summar$
A !isoriente! an! ill"traine! Amerian sol!ier name! +ill$ :ilgrim is apture! b$
erman sol!iers !uring t%e +attle of t%e +ulge- raine! as a %aplains assistant, %e arrivesin +elgium 4ust as %is unit is overw%elme! b$ t%e ermans- %ere is not enoug% time to issue
%im wit% ombat gear- /e an! ot%er prisoners are sent far from t%e front to live in a ma#es%ift
prison, a !isuse! slaug%ter%ouse in t%e it$ of res!en- uring air rai!s t%e prisoners an!
t%eir guar!s ta#e s%elter in a !eep ellar, originall$ built to #eep meat ool- +eause of t%is
s%elter t%e$ are among t%e few survivors of t%e firestorm w%i% onsumes t%e it$ after an air
rai!-
+ill$ %as beome <unstu# in time< for uneplaine! reasons (t%oug% its %inte! towar!s
t%e en! t%at %is surviving a plane ras% left %im wit% mil! brain !amage)- /e meets, an! islater #i!nappe! b$, aliens from t%e planet ralfama!ore, w%o e%ibit %im in a ralfama!orian
=oo wit% 8ontana 5il!%a#, a pornograp%i movie star- %e ralfama!orians see in four
!imensions, t%e fourt% !imension being time- ralfama!orians %ave seen ever$ instant of
t%eir lives alrea!$G t%e$ believe t%at t%e$ ant %oose to %ange an$t%ing about t%eir fate, but
an %oose to fous on an$ moment in t%eir lives t%at t%e$ wis%-
%roug%out t%e novel, +ill$ %ops ba# an! fort% in time, reliving various oasions in %is
life an! fantas$ lifeG t%is gives %im a onstant sense of stage frig%t, as %e never #nows w%at
part of %is life is oming up net- /e spen!s time on ralfama!oreG in res!enG numbl$wa!ing t%roug% !eep snow in 55 erman$ before %is aptureG living marrie! in Ameria
after t%e warG up to t%e moment of %is mur!er on @art% man$ $ears later- +$ t%e time of %is
mur!er, +ill$ %as a!opte! ralfama!orian fatalism, w%i% %as given %im great personal
peaeG %e %as sprea! t%is p%ilosop%$ to millions of %umans an! %as beome a popular publi
figure on @art%-
+ill$s fatalism appears to be groun!e! in realit$ (at least in t%e realit$ w%i% +ill$
pereives)G after noting t%at +ill$ %a! a op$ of t%e .erenit$ :ra$er in %is offie, t%e narrator
sa$s, <Among t%e t%ings +ill$ :ilgrim oul! not %ange were t%e past, t%e present, an! t%e
future-< ne of %is ralfama!orian aptors, w%o seems s$mpat%eti to %umans, sa$s t%at out
of '1 in%abite! planets it %as visite!, <onl$ on @art% is t%ere an$ tal# of free will-<
%e boo# eamines man$ events in +ill$s life, inlu!ing t%e !eat% of %is wife, %is
apture b$ t%e Na=is in 5orl! 5ar , an! t%e infamous bombing of res!en t%at was t%e
inspiration for t%e boo#- Alt%oug% t%e narrative of +ill$s time in res!en an%ors t%e boo#, a
ma4or seon!ar$ t%eme is %is eas$ an! affluent life as an optometrist in t%e it$ of llium, New
?or# (Vonneguts fitional stan!"in for ro$, New ?or#) w%i% ontrasts s%arpl$ wit% bot% %is
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war eperiene, an! wit% t%e life %e #new before t%e war in w%at was post"epression
Ameria- %is also parallels Vonneguts own transition from t%e !ismal $ears of t%e 19'0s to,
as %e !esribes it, a life w%ere %e is <fabulousl$ well"to"!o<- n a sense t%is furt%er parallels
t%e eperienes of man$ Amerians of t%e time, for w%om t%e post"war perio! was one of
great an! to some etent unepete! affluene-
%e novel uses ertain p%rases repetitivel$, su% as <so it goes<Iw%i%, use!
w%enever !eat% or !$ing is mentione! (be it t%at of a man, an animal, or t%e bubbles in
%ampagne), serves to !ownpla$ mortalit$, ma#ing it routine an! even %umorousIan!
<mustar! gas an! roses<, to !enote t%e %orrible o!or of a rotting orpse or a !run#s breat%-
+ill$s !eat% is t%e result of a strange string of events- After %is unit is overrun in
+elgium, +ill$ wan!ers t%e woo!s wearing onl$ a lig%t 4a#et an! or!inar$ s%oes- .uffering
from %$pot%ermia %e meets >olan! 5ear$, a sol!ier arr$ing pro!igious amounts of
eEuipment an! wearing so mu% lot%ing %e barel$ noties t%e winter ol!- >at%er t%an s%are
wit% +ill$, 5ear$ ma#es it %is ause to #eep +ill$ alive !espite %is pat%eti appearane an!
willingness to lie !own an! !ie- /e spen!s t%e time until t%e$ are apture! t%reatening an!a4oling +ill$- After t%e$ are apture!, t%e ermans onfisate ever$t%ing 5ear$ %as,
inlu!ing %is boots, giving %im logs to wear- /e eventuall$ !ies of gangrene from in4uries to
%is feet ause! b$ t%e logs-
+eause 5ear$ blames +ill$ for %is apture (an! eventual !eat%), 5ear$s morbi!
frien! :aul Ba==aro vows to %ave %im #ille!, as, aor!ing to %im, revenge is <t%e sweetest
t%ing in life-< +ill$, w%o travels in time, alrea!$ #nows w%ere an! %ow %e will be #ille!J
Ba==aro s%oots %im after a publi spea#ing event in a future w%ere t%e nite! .tates %as
been bal#ani=e!- uring +ill$s publi spee% %e !elares t%at following %is leture %e will be#ille!, so %e uses t%is fat to onve$ %is message t%at beause time is anot%er !imension all
t%ree"!imensional slies as we #now t%em eist simultaneousl$- %erefore, ever$one is
alwa$s alive an! !eat% is not a tragi event-
%araters
← !arrator I .ome people see t%e intrusive, unname! narrator, a persona w%o
returns as a minor %arater t%roug% t%e stor$, as Kurt Vonnegut %imself, as w%en t%e
narrator reveals, <%at was - %at was me- %at was t%e aut%or of t%is boo#-<C2D
%e novelopens b$ !esribing t%e narrators onnetions wit% t%e res!en bombing, an! %is reasons
for writing t%e boo#-
← "illy Pilgri# I +ill$ is an optometrist in a !ull an! safe marriage an! resi!ing in
lium, a fitional !epition of ro$, New ?or#- Nearb$ ro$ is t%e it$ of .%eneta!$, New
?or#, w%ere Vonnegut wor#e! as a publiist for eneral @letri, an! w%ere several of %is
ot%er novels are set- +ill$ :ilgrim ran!oml$ travels t%roug% time an! is ab!ute! b$ t%e <four"
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!imensional< aliens #nown as t%e ralfama!orians- /e is also a prisoner of war in res!en
!uring 5orl! 5ar , an! %is later life is greatl$ influene! b$ w%at %e saw !uring t%e war- /e
travels between parts of %is life repeate!l$ an! ran!oml$, meaning t%at %es literall$ live!
t%roug% t%e events more t%an one- /e travels ba# an! fort% in time so often t%at %e
!evelops a sense of fatalism about %is life beause %e #nows %ow %e is going to !ie an! %ow
%is life is going to wor# out- Vonnegut i!entifie! t%e inspiration for t%is %arater as fellow
infantr$man an! prisoner"of"war @!war! rone,C'D
w%o !ie! in erman usto!$ a mont%before t%e en! of t%e war in @urope- After t%e war, t%e ermans %elpe! rones parents
loate %is grave, enabling t%em to rebur$ %im in %is %ometown of >o%ester , New ?or#-C3D
← $oland Weary I A wea# man wit% !reams of gran!eur w%o wea#l$ <saves< +ill$
multiple times (!espite +ill$s protests) in %opes for glor$- %is lea!s to t%eir apture as well
as t%e loss of t%eir warm winter lot%ing an! boots- 5ear$ eventuall$ !ies of gangrene w%ile
on t%e train to t%e amp, an! blames +ill$ wit% %is final wor!s-
← Paul %a&&aro I Anot%er :5- A si#l$, ill"tempere! ar t%ief from iero, llinois,w%o %ears 5ear$s !$ing wor!s an! eventuall$ %as +ill$ #ille! in revenge, man$ $ears after
t%e war- /e %as a mental %it list an! laims %e an %ave an$one <#ille! for a t%ousan! !ollars
plus traveling epenses<-
← Kilgore 'rout " An unsuessful siene fition writer w%o manages newspaper
!eliver$ bo$s an! %as onl$ reeive! one letter from a fan- After +ill$ meets %im in a ba# alle$
in %is %ometown of lium, New ?or#, %e invites rout to %is we!!ing anniversar$- %ere
Kilgore follows +ill$ aroun!, t%in#ing %e %as seen a time win!ow- n fat, t%is ini!ent is
triggere! not b$ +ill$s time traveling, but b$ a burie! wartime memor$- Bi#e t%e narrator, rout
an also be seen as a figure for t%e aut%orG %e appears in several ot%er Vonnegut novels-
← Edgar (er)y I An ol!er man w%o pulle! strings to ta#e part in t%e war- /e is in
t%e erman :5 amp wit% Ba=arro an! +ill$- /e is sentene! to !eat% for stealing a teapot
in t%e res!en orpse mines an! eeute! b$ a firing sEua!- Vonnegut onsi!ers %is
ignominious !eat% %ig% iron$- erb$s son is also a sol!ier in 5orl! 5ar , in t%e :aifi-
← *oward W. +a#p)ell Jr. I An Amerian w%o live! in erman$ at t%e time of
5orl! 5ar - /e was a famous pla$wrig%t in t%e erman language an! later beame a Na=i
propagan!ist- /e wrote an essa$ on t%e miser$ of Amerian povert$, relating it to t%e
appearane an! be%avior of Amerian prisoners of war- /e is later onfronte! b$ @!gar
erb$ w%ile tr$ing to reruit prisoners to fig%t for erman$ on t%e >ussian front in a foreign
volunteer unit alle! t%e 6ree Ameria orps (similar to t%e @uropLis%e 6reiwillige an! li#el$
name! after t%e +ritis% 6ree orps)- /e is a main %arater in Kurt Vonneguts earlier novel
other 1ight -
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← Valencia er)le I +ill$s %eav$set wife an! mot%er of +ill$s two %il!ren- +ill$
remains rat%er !istant from %er- .%e !ies of arbon monoi!e poisoning following a ar
ai!ent on %er wa$ to t%e %ospital w%ere %er %usban! is sent after an airplane ras%-
← $o)ert Pilgri# I .on of +ill$ an! Valenia- A trouble! an! !isappointing $out%
w%o later beomes a reen +eret-
← "ar)ara Pilgri# I aug%ter of +ill$ an! Valenia- esribe! as a <bit%$
flibbertigibbet< (as a result of %er %aving to beome %ea! of t%e famil$ at age 20) an! %aving
<legs li#e an @!war!ian gran! piano<- .%e marries an optometrist- .%e treats %er fat%er li#e a
%il! an! an invali! after %is ai!ent an! %er mot%ers !eat%-
← 'ralfa#adorians I An alien rae t%at loo# li#e uprig%t toilet plungers wit% a %an!
on top, into w%i% is set a single green e$e- %e$ ab!ut +ill$ an! tea% %im about times
relation to t%e worl! as a fourt% !imension, fate, an! !eat%s la# of !isrimination-
← ontana Wildhac I A pornograp%i atress w%om t%e ralfama!orians #i!nap
to be +ill$s mate un!er t%eir supervision-
← Wild "o) " A %arater t%at +ill$ meets !uring t%e war- /e is ra=$, an! !ies
earl$ on- /e tells ever$one to all %im 5il! +ob- /e ma#es a spee% in a sol!ier line"up,
t%in#ing t%e men from %is setion, t%e 3;1st nfantr$ >egiment, are near %im- /e tells t%em
t%at <if t%e$ are ever in o!$, 5$oming, as# for 5il! +ob,< a p%rase :ilgrim sometimes
repeats to %imself for inspiration-
8a4or t%emes
%is novel eplores t%e i!eas of fate, free will, an! t%e illogial nature of %umans- %e
main %arater is <unstu# in time,< meaning t%at %e eperienes t%e events of %is life in a
seemingl$ ran!om or!er, wit% no i!ea w%i% part of life %e will <visit< net- As a result, %is life
!oes not en! wit% !eat%G rat%er, %e repeate!l$ eperienes %is own !eat% before its time an!
t%is eperiene is often intermingle! wit% ot%er eperienes-
%e onept of free will is Euestione! in t%is novel b$ +ill$ :ilgrim- /is assertions t%at
t%ere is no free will is onfirme! b$ a ralfama!orian, w%o sa$s, <ve visite! t%irt$"one
in%abite! planets in t%e universe--- nl$ on @art% is t%ere an$ tal# of free will<- %is !evie is
entral to Vonneguts belief t%at t%e vast ma4orit$ of %umanit$ is ompletel$ inonseEuentialG
t%at is, t%e$ !o w%at t%e$ !o beause t%e$ must-
o t%e ralfama!orians, ever$t%ing alwa$s eists at t%e same time, an! for t%em
ever$one is t%erefore alwa$s alive- %e$ too %ave wars an! tragi events (t%e$ !estro$ t%e
universe testing spaes%ip fuels), but w%en as#e! b$ +ill$ w%at t%e$ !o about wars, t%e
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ralfama!orians repl$ t%at t%e$ simpl$ ignore t%em- Vonnegut uses t%e ralfama!orians to
onflit wit% t%e t%eme %e atuall$ presentsG life, as a %uman, is onl$ en4o$able wit% t%e
un#nown- ralfama!orians !o not atuall$ ma#e an$ %oies about w%at t%e$ !o, but %ave
power onl$ over w%at t%e$ t%in# (t%is t%eme is also eplore! in Timeuake)- Vonnegut (as t%e
narrator) seems to believe t%is t%eor$ in t%e wa$ %e states in %apter one, <t%at writing an
anti"war boo# is li#e writing an anti"glaier boo#,< sine bot% will alwa$s eist an! are bot%
eEuall$ !iffiult to stop- %is onept is !iffiult for +ill$ to aept at first-
/owever, Vonneguts writings elsew%ere (for eample, see The Sirens of Titan) suggest
t%at t%e ralfama!orians in Slaughterhouse-Five are inten!e! to satiri=e t%e i!ea of fatalism-
n t%e main bo!$ of t%e boo#, t%e ralfama!orians represent t%e belief t%at war is inevitable-
%eir %apless !estrution of t%e universe suggests t%at Vonnegut !oes not s$mpat%i=e wit%
t%eir p%ilosop%$- o %umans, Vonnegut seems to sa$, ignoring a war is not an aeptable
%oie w%en we atuall$ !o %ave free will-
%is illogialit$ of %uman nature is broug%t up wit% t%e lima of t%e boo#- roniall$ t%e
lima ours not wit% t%e bombing of res!en, but wit% t%e eeution of a man w%oommitte! a pett$ t%eft- n all of t%is %orror, !eat%, an! !estrution, so mu% time is ta#en on
t%e punis%ment of one man- ?et, t%e time is still ta#en, an! Vonnegut seems to ta#e t%e
outsi!e opinion of t%e bir! as#ing, <:oo"tee"weetM<- %e same bir!song en!s t%e novel %od
Bless (ou) r* 2ose3ater , as t%e protagonist gives awa$ %is entire fortune to t%e plaintiffs of
%un!re!s of false paternit$ suits broug%t against %im- t seems to represent a a!aist
omment on t%e absur!it$ of %umanit$-Ccitation needed D
%iterary techni/ues
%e novel emplo$s t%e refrain <.o it goes< w%en !eat%, !$ing or mortalit$ appear in t%e
narrative, as a transitional p%rase to anot%er sub4et, as a remin!er, an! as omi relief - t is
also use! to eplain t%e uneplaine!- %ere are 10& <so it goes< ane!otes lae! t%roug%out
t%e novel-
As a representative postmo!ern tet, t%e novel is metafitional- %e first %apter of t%e
boo# is not about +ill$ :ilgrim, but a prefae about %ow Vonnegut ame to write
Slaughterhouse-Five- Vonnegut apologi=es for t%e fat t%at t%e novel is <so s%ort an! 4umble!
an! 4angle!< an! eplains t%at t%is is beause <t%ere is not%ing intelligent to sa$ about a
massare-< n a similar wa$ to other 1ight , but mu% more etensivel$, Vonnegut pla$s wit%i!eas of fition an! realit$- %e opening %apters ver$ first sentene laims t%at <All t%is
%appene!, more or less,< an! !uring +ill$ :ilgrims war eperienes Vonnegut %imself
appears briefl$, followe! b$ t%e narrators noteJ <%at was - %at was me- %at was t%e
aut%or of t%is boo#-<
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%e novel also repeate!l$ refers to novels an! fition- +ill$ rea!s %e Valle$ of t%e
olls, loo#s at a ralfama!orian novel, an! also appears on a ra!io tal# s%ow wit% a panel of
eperts to !isuss <t%e !eat% of t%e novel-<
0or#
Slaughterhouse-Five opens wit% t%e narrator offering a narrative of t%e novels genesis,en!ing wit% a !isussion of t%e beginning an! en! of t%e novel- %e <stor$ proper< t%us
begins wit% %apter two alt%oug% t%ere is no reason to assume t%at t%e opening %apter isnot also fitional-
%is te%niEue ma$ seem unusual, but is ommon to postmo!ern meta"fition- %estor$ itself purports to be a !is4ointe! an! !isontinuous narrative, following +ill$s point of view <unstu# in time-< 5%ile Vonneguts wor# ommonl$ ontains su% !isor!er, it s%oul! benote! t%at t%e narrative of t%is novel !oes follow t%e tra4etor$ set out in t%e opening %apter Jt begins li#e t%isJBistenJ +ill$ :ilgrim %as ome unstu# in time-t en!s li#e t%isJ:oo"tee"weetM
+ill$ :ilgrims life is reporte! b$ t%e narrator to be eperiene! as a series of
!isontinuities b$ t%e %arater, in w%i% %is birt%, $out%, ol! age, an! !eat% are all
eperiene! out of normal, linear or!er- %e novel %as two narratives- ne follows +ill$s war eperiene, an! w%ile it is interrupte! b$ eperienes from ot%er parts of %is life, t%e narrative
of %is war eperiene %as a fairl$ linear or!er- %e ot%er narrative is t%e !isontinuous or!er
of %is life before an! after t%e war eperiene- t oul! be argue! t%at +ill$s perspetive %as
been ompromise! b$ %is witnessing t%e !estrution of res!en, alt%oug% %e is <unstu# in
time< before %e arrives in res!en-
Vonneguts prose st$le is omprise! of s%ort, !elarative sentenes, w%i% ontribute to
t%e sense t%at t%is narrative is t%e simple reporting of fat-
Point of view and setting%e stor$ opens wit% t%e narrator !esribing %is onnetions wit% t%e res!en bombing,
an! %is reasons for writing t%e boo#- /e !esribes %imself, %is boo#, an! t%e fat t%at %e
believes it to be a !esperate attempt at s%olarl$ wor#- /e t%en flows t%is into +ill$ :ilgrims
stor$, as %e starts +ill$s stor$ as, <BistenJ +ill$ :ilgrim %as ome unstu# in time-< %is serves
as a transition from Vonneguts point of view to t%e true t%ir! person-
t is ommon misoneption t%at, as t%e aut%or, Vonnegut appears %ere an! t%ere in t%e
stor$- n t%e wartime seEuenes, +ill$ :ilgrim over%ears t%e narrators voie oasionall$- 6or
instane, w%en t%e :5s see res!en for t%e first time, +ill$ %ears someone !esribe it as
<=<- Vonnegut t%en writes, as %e !oes elsew%ere, <%at was - %at was me-< espite
popular belief, t%is %arater is not Vonnegut alt%oug% t%e$ s%are !istint %arateristis- %e
first two %apters of t%e boo# are not t%e voie of Vonnegut as %imself an! s%oul! not be
seen as a prologueG t%e boo# is meant to be rea! as a w%ole- 5ritten as a post"mo!ernist
tet, t%e point of t%e novel is to s%ow t%ere is not absolute trut% or point of view, rat%er, t%at
t%ere are multiple versions- Alt%oug% Vonnegut was a survivor of t%e res!on bombings as a
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:5, et, t%e narrative la$er of t%e narrator is present to %ig%lig%t t%e onstrutive nature of
%istor$ an! !raw attention to t%e inevitabilit$ of multiple trut%s-
Alt%oug% t%e %arater Kilgore rout, w%om +ill$ :ilgrim meets w%ile t%e former runs a
newspaper !eliver$ business, ma$ also be seen as a persona of t%e aut%or, in appearane
an! attitu!e %e %as little in ommon wit% Vonnegut- /is %e#ere! areer as a novelist,
%eate! b$ publis%ers an! not even aware t%at %e %as a rea!ers%ip, !oes not reflet
Vonneguts own-
%e struture of Slaughterhouse-Five resembles a ralfama!orian novel, a !ifferent
#in! of literature :ilgrim enounters en route to ralfama!ore- %e onl$ @art% rea!ing material
available to +ill$ is a op$ of Valle$ of t%e olls- /e as#s %is aptors w%at t%e$ rea!, an! is
given several t%in boo#lets fille! wit% s$mbols- %e ralfama!orians tell %im t%at t%e s$mbols
represent pleasing t%oug%ts an! events- 5%en t%e$ are all rea! simultaneousl$, as t%e
ralfama!orians an !o, t%e result is an emotion in t%e min! of t%e rea!er- +ill$s time
travelling 4utaposes events from t%e war, %is we!!ing nig%t, an! %is trip to %is fat%ers
funeral, miing bla# %umor, trage!$ an! %appiness in a few paragrap%s-
+ontroversy
+eause of its realisti an! freEuent !epition of swearing b$ Amerian sol!iers, its
irreverent language (inlu!ing t%e sentene <%e gun ma!e a ripping soun! li#e t%e opening
of t%e =ipper on t%e fl$ of o! Almig%t$,<) an! some seuall$ epliit ontent,
Slaughterhouse-Five is among t%e most freEuentl$ banne! wor#s in Amerian literature, an!
in some ases is still remove! from s%ool libraries an! urriula-C10D onversel$, t%is boo#
%as also beome a part of t%e urriulum of ertain s%ools- %e suitabilit$ of t%e wor# %as
even been onsi!ere! b$ t%e .upreme ourt of t%e nite! .tates, w%ere it was one of t%e
wor#s at issue in 4sland Trees School District v* #ico,3;7 -.- F;' (19F2)- %e novel appears
on t%e Amerian Bibrar$ Assoiation list of t%e 100 8ost 6reEuentl$ %allenge! +oo#s of
1990"2000 at number sit$"nine-
%e bombing of res!en in 5orl! 5ar , w%i% was !one t%roug% firebombing, pla$s a
large role in t%e novelG Vonnegut state! in t%e novel t%at t%e firebombing #ille! 1';,000
erman ivilians, iting %istorian avi! rving as t%e soureG Vonnegut was referring to
rvings t%en"bestselling boo#, The Destruction of Dresden- %e eat number of asualties is
unertain, but most %istorians urrentl$ believe t%at t%e number was less t%an 30,000G see+ombing of res!en in 5orl! 5ar -
%e novel %as been ause! b$ various ritis of being <Euietist< beause +ill$ believes
t%at <t%e notion of free will is a Euaint @art%ling illusion-<C11D %e problem, aor!ing to >obert
8errill an! :eter A- .%oll, is t%atJ
Vonneguts ritis seem to t%in# t%at %e is sa$ing t%e same t%ing Cas t%e ralfama!oriansD- 6or
Ant%on$ +urgess, <.laug%ter%ouse is a #in! of evasion""in a sense li#e H- 8- +arries :eter :an""in
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w%i% were being tol! to arr$ t%e %orror of t%e res!en bombing an! ever$t%ing it implies up to a
level of fantas$----< 6or %arles /arris Csee eerpt aboveD, <%e main i!ea emerging from
.laug%ter%ouse"6ive seems to be t%at t%e proper response to life is one of resigne! aeptane-< 6or
Alfre! Ka=in, <Vonnegut !epreates an$ attempt to see trage!$ t%at !a$ in res!en---- /e li#es to sa$
wit% ar% fatalism, iting one %orror after anot%er, .o it goes-< 6or anner, <Vonnegut %as ---total
s$mpat%$ wit% su% Euietisti impulses-< An! t%e same notion is foun! t%roug%out The 5onnegut
Statement , a boo# of original essa$s written an! ollete! b$ Vonneguts most lo$al aa!emi <fans-<
1llusions to other wors
Bi#e man$ of Vonneguts boo#s, ertain %araters from ot%er stories ma#e notable
appearanes in or!er to bring %is novels toget%er- Kilgore rout, a ma4or %arater in man$ of
Vonneguts novels, appears signifiantl$ in Slaughterhouse-Five- /e is a frien! of +ill$
:ilgrim, an! fulfills o!! roles t%roug%out t%e stor$- n one ase %e is t%e onl$ non"optometrist
at a part$, an! t%erefore is t%e o!!"man"out- /e ta#es t%e role of ma#ing fun of ever$t%ing t%e
i!eal Amerian famil$ %ol!s true, su% as %eaven, %ell an! sin- n %is opinion, people !o not
#now if t%e t%ings t%e$ !o turn out to be goo! or ba!, an! if t%e$ turn out to be ba!, t%e$ go to
%ell w%ere <t%e burning never stops %urting-<
t%er ameo appearanes inlu!e @liot >osewater of %od Bless (ou) r* 2ose3ater
an! /owar! 5- ampbell, Hr- of other 1ight - %ere is also a %arater alle! +ertram
opelan! >umfoor!, a relative of 5inston Niles >umfoor! in The Sirens of Titan- >umfoor!
famil$ members appear in several of Vonneguts wor#s-
1llusions to actual history, geography and current science
%e novel refers to t%e +ombing of res!en in 5orl! 5ar - t also inlu!es referenesto %e +attle of t%e +ulge, t%e Vietnam 5ar an! urban riots in t%e 19&0s- +ill$s wife Valenia
%as a bumper sti#er on %er ar stating <>eagan for :resi!ent<- %is refers to >onal!
>eagans unsuessful 19&F ampaign for t%e >epublian :art$ nomination, not %is
suessful ampaign in 19F0 for t%e :resi!en$-