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Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut. Ben Keller. Thesis. The Purpose of this report is to analyze the author, characters, and literary devices of Slaughterhouse Five. Synopsis.
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Slaughterhouse Fiveby Kurt Vonnegut Ben Keller
Thesis The Purpose of this report is to analyze the author, characters, and literary devices of Slaughterhouse Five.
Synopsis Billy Pilgrim, a soldier in WWII is captured and taken to a POW camp. During this time he becomes “unstuck in time.” this makes him randomly travel in time to different events of his life. He was taken to Dresden where he witnessed the bombing of the city. After returning home he lives an uneventful life until he was abducted by aliens. The aliens can see the past, present, and future. He is put in a zoo on their planet. They tell him time cannot be changed no matter what. What happened in the war wouldn’t have turned out any better no matter what he did. Billy soon comes to believe this and it allows him to move on with his life.
Author Kurt Vonnegut • Born Nov. 11, 1922 • Died Apr. 11, 2007 • Age 84 • Wrote other books like Cat’s Cradle and Breakfast of Champions
Author Kurt Vonnegut • Was in WWII • Captured and sent to a POW camp in Germany • Witnessed the allied bombing of Dresden.
Characters • Main character- Billy Pilgrim • Soldier in WWII • Captured and taken to a POW camp in Dresden • Survived the allied bombing of Dresden by staying in a slaughterhouse • Travels through time • Abducted by aliens • Put in a zoo on Planet Tralfamadore.
Both were POWs in WWII Both witnessed the Dresden bombing Both grew up in New York Vonnegut created Billy to represent himself He wrote Slaughterhouse Five to help him cope with what he experienced Similarities with the Author
Billy is “unstuck in time.” He relives moments of his life He is abducted by aliens The aliens can see the past, present, and future. They know everything that has and will happen. They tell him that time cannot be changed and that dwelling on the past is pointless. Characters
The Tralfamadorians can see every moment in time. When Billy asks them why they seem so peaceful they tell him they choose to focus on the happy times instead of the miserable ones. Characters
Characters • Roland Weary- fellow soldier captured with Billy. Vicious and sadistic. Blames Billy for the situation they are in. • Edger Derby- fellow POW. Former school teacher. Executed by firing squad for stealing. • Valencia Merble - Billy’s wife. Daughter of a doctor who got Billy his first job. She dies during a plane crash • Barbera- Billy’s daughter. Looks after him after her mother dies. • Robert- Billy’s son. Joins the green berets.
Literary Devices • Irony: Billy survived being killed by staying in a slaughterhouse, a place for death. • Any time someone dies the phrase, “so it goes” always follows. This signifies that every death is equal in tragedy. • The narrator appears in the novel as a soldier at Dresden with Billy. The author did this to connect his own experiences with the story.