SLAUGHTERHOU

SE-FIVE
KURT
VONNEGUT
K U RT V O N N E G U T ( 1 9 2 2 -
2007)
American writer known for his satirical and darkly humorous novels.  

When World War II broke out, he was 16. At 20, he entered US army and was shipped
off to Europe, where he was captured by the Germans in the Battle of the Bulge. 

He was sent as a prisoner of war to Dresden. On February 13, 1945, British and
American bombers destroyed the city by dropping high explosives. The resulting
firestorm turned the city into an inferno that killed up to 60,000 civilians.  Vonnegut
survived by accident only because he was 60 feet underground in a former meat locker
and slaughterhouse.

Vonnegut’s job for weeks after the bombing was to gather up and burn the remains of
the dead. His experience at Dresden marked him for life and eventually resulted in his
literary masterpiece, Slaughterhouse-Five.
PLOT
The book follows the life and experiences of Billy Pilgrim, from his early
years, to his time as an American soldier to the post-war years, with Billy
occasionally traveling through time. The text focus on Billy's capture by
the Germany Army and his survival of the firebombing of Dresden as
a prisoner of war.
SCIENCE FICTION ELEMENTS
There are some fictional elements, mainly Tralfamadorians – aliens living on fictional
planet Tralfamadore. They kidnap Billy Pilgrim and place him in a zoo on Tralfamadore with
Montana Wildhack. 

Billy can also travel in time to recreate various moments from his life.

As a witness to the destruction, Billy confronts fundamental questions about the meanings of life and
death. Traumatized by the events in Dresden, Billy can provide no answers.

Even though after war he is living fulfilling life as optometrist, a husband and a father, he cannot find
peace of mind because of the trauma. 

Ultimately, Billy reconciles this trauma with the acceptance of the Tralfamadorians doctrine that

there is no such thing as free will: Billy cannot change the past, the present, or the future. 
 SLAUGHTERHOUSE-FIVE, OR THE
C H I L D R E N ' S C R U S A D E : A D U T Y- D A N C E W I T H
D E ATH
Actually, the full title is longer.

The slaughterhouse five is a place where Billy survived the firebombing of Dresden –

same as Kurt Vonnegut himself.  

Billy was also thinking about writing a book about Dresden. He wanted to name it 'The
Children's Crusade' to highlight the fact that he was at the end of childhood when he
went to war, not a grown man, and that he will not make war look wonderful.
DARK HUMOUR

There is a lot of dark humour and irony in the book.

For example, in the American prisoner's camp, the English officers were enthusiastic, singing
together every day for years keeping their morals high. They were even delighting Germans who
hold them captive. They performed a musical version of Cinderella to entertain the "guests" - that
is new prisoners and, also Billy. 

English officers managed to make the war experience seem less horrific than it really is, but at the
same time, their candles and soap were made from human fat rendered from Nazi war victims.
Another example of the dark humour and irony concerns forty-years old hobo
captured along with American soldiers. Billy was on the train carrying prisoners
of war, there was no longer any food for the prisoners to eat, and no longer any
fuel to keep them warm.

Even though Billy Pilgrim's train did not move for two days, hobo kept saying
that 'This ain't bad', 'I been hungrier than this', 'I been in worse places than this'.

On the ninth day, the hobo died. His last words were, 'You think this is bad? This
ain't bad.'
Another ironic moment is even cited by Billy. 
'I think the climax of the book will be the execution of poor old Edgar
Derby,'
'The irony is so great. A whole city gets burned down, and thousands and
thousands of people are killed. And then this one American foot soldier is
arrested in the ruins for taking a teapot. And he's given a regular trial, and
then he's shot by a firing squad.'