Rachael Dumais

3/29/15
AP Lit and Comp
Mrs. Kendall
Slaughterhouse-Five
Kurt Vonneguts stream of consciousness anti-war novel, Slaughterhouse-Five, examines
the effect of war upon the human mind. Billy Pilgrims life serves as a mirror for Vonneguts own
experiences in World War Two. The Tralfamadorians differing perceptions of the universe and a
nonlinear version of time combine to create the altered view of reality as a war veteran. Kurt
Vonnegut truly exposes his own mind through Billy, in turn emphasizing his opinions on wars
total destruction. Vonneguts exposure of himself allows the audience to perceive him as a
reliable narrator and his contradictory beliefs on human horrors conveys the severity of war.
Through a seemingly nonsensical science-fiction novel, Vonnegut masterfully crafts a poignant
statement about humanitys capacity for evil.
Vonnegut incorporates himself into Billy Pilgrims story, which allows the audience to
feel a connection to the war. The third person point of view of Vonnegut emphasizes Billys
problems and places into context the situation occurring. The audience grows to care for Billy
and all of the characters, no matter how strange they are. Billy clearly suffers from PostTraumatic Stress Disorder, resulting from his presence during the bombing of Dresden,
Vonneguts opinions are voiced through Billys experiences, especially when he delivers the
statement, It was about people whose mental diseases couldnt be treated because the causes of
the diseases were all in the fourth dimension, and three-dimensional Earthling doctors couldnt
see those cause at all or even imagine them, (104) which highlights the way mental illness is
treated in America. It is assumed that the carnage seen in battle will not take a toll on the
soldiers, which is clearly not the case according to Vonneguts own firsthand experience. The

audience can trust Vonneguts words because he is warm and is human. The empathy one has for
another human being should overwhelm any other feeling when faced with a destructive
situation such as war. Vonnegut is a trustable figure because the audience does not know who
else to trust. Most of the other characters are only notable for their flaws and their impact upon
Billy. Besides Billy, everyone is simply thinking whatever there was to think-which was
zero(55) clearly emphasizing the numbing effect of war upon the fragile human mind. In a
retrospective fashion, Vonneguts views on war and society allow the audience to form an
opinion of his flaws and strengths, allowing Vonnegut to be taken at face value. He is
experienced and is qualified to judge society in the harsh manner that he does in SlaughterhouseFive.
Although Slaughterhouse-Five is an anti-war novel, there is an unemotional view of war.
The phrase So it goes that Vonnegut frequents is a bold statement that life cannot be changed.
In a world full of destruction and violence, there is nothing that the average human being can do
to change it, as All time is all time. It does not change. (86) delineating Vonneguts idea that
humans are simply pawns in some greater game. While humans feel the ill effects of time and
wish that, especially in a world with free will, change could be possible, everything happens for
a reason. It is up to each individual to rationally accept life for what it is. The detached, cold tone
contributes to anti-war and anti-violence sentiments. In a world filled with destruction, it can
seem impossible to see the benefits. In the war, Billy himself breaks down and the Englishman
says, How nice-to feel nothing, and still get full credit for being alive, (105) which creates the
idea that people who are exposed to suffering become numb to it after time, unable to react to it,
hence the so it goes way of life. It seems bitter and insensitive, but the so it goes mentality is

a coping mechanism for Vonnegut and his characters to survive the war, Post-Traumatic Stress
Disorder, and living in a world so full of violence and destruction.
World War Two proves that some select people are capable of incomprehensible evil. The
novel Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut portrays every aspect of war from the soldiers to
the innate evil within humanity. However, Vonnegut offers an interesting way to cope with the
knowledge of unpleasantries, so it goes. This phrase, along with the serenity prayer show that
humans are powerless to change their nature. Time and moments have been chosen well in
advance and a mere mortal can do nothing to influence the universe, as the moment is
structured that way. Humans are supposed to accept life for what it is and cope the best they
can. Vonneguts straightforward approach to life is one that can be carried over into everyones
life. Coping is something every human has to do, whether they are recovering from war or the
loss of their house keys.