Kurt Vonnegut wrote Slaughterhouse Five as well as many other novels. Slaughterhouse Five is the story of Billy Pilgrim. Pilgrim is a time travelingwar veteran who is “unstuck” in time. The entire novel is a journeythrough this universe. He visits strange planets and the bombing of Dresden inGermany. Human cruelty is the overall theme of the novel.
It is the behavior ofmen that they will harm anything weak. There is always a bully in everycommunity. Weary’s attitude as a bully is apparent in all sections of humankind. The bombing in Germany is an example of human cruelty. It shows our blindvengeance and little ability to reason.
The mop-up after a battle also provesthis. The complicating incidents are his continuing adventures during hisimprisonment in the war. The climax is the bombing of Dresden. The settingvaries in time and place in many instances but is mainly in Germany toward theend of the war. Pilgrim even travels to distant galaxies, such as Tralfamadore. The major characters are Billy Pilgrim and Kilgore Trout.
Billy Pilgrim tries tosurvive the ordeals he is thrown into and is a true adventurer. Trout is alsostuck in the fray. The style of the novel is light and even pretty funny. Thelanguage reflects the story and is wordy, and little complicated .
The book usesits comedy to help get the reader through the complex plot. This book makes youthink. All the sci-fi incidents capture your imagination.English Essays
