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Slaughterhouse V -1

Slaughterhouse V -1. Why Write?. Outline. General Introduction Starting Questions on Chapter 1 Chapter I: Frames Why Write – the author in the text Views of Life – So it goes . Kurt Vonnegut (1922 - ). The “author” in SH-V.

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Slaughterhouse V -1

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  1. Slaughterhouse V -1 Why Write?

  2. Outline • General Introduction • Starting Questions on Chapter 1 • Chapter I: • Frames • Why Write – the author in the text • Views of Life – So it goes

  3. Kurt Vonnegut (1922 - ) • The “author” in SH-V. • Joined WWII, became a prisoner of war during the Battle of the Bulge (the last offensive on Germany’s part) on December 14, 1944, and sent to Dresden. • Studied anthropology in the University of Chicago, but his thesis was rejected. • Became a writer since, published Slaughterhouse-Five in 1968 (the peak of anti-war movement), which made him successful and a guru figure in post-60’s literary field.

  4. Slaughterhouse-Five--Background Dresden Bombing: • Dresden -- "Florence on the Elbe" • February 13 & 14, 1945; • estimated deaths: 130,000 to 250,000, almost all of them civilians. • Part of a massive attack coded as “Thunderclap,” which targeted the German cities of Berlin, Dresden, Leipzig, and Chemnitz. • Irony: Dresden is not a strategic point (no factories, no railways, bridges, etc, but a lot POW’s)  meaninglessness

  5. Slaughterhouse-Five--Plot Time Traveling -- Four segments of Billy Pilgrim’s • 1922 - his childhood, • 1944 - his World War II years, • 1968 - his postwar life as a family man and optometrist in New York, • his capture by aliens who come from the planet Tralfamadore

  6. Starting Questions • Why does the author discuss ‘how’ he gets to write this novel? • What views of the war, history and life does he introduces here?

  7. Chapter I – the “Frame” of the Story the author in the novel • Makes claim to “reality” – p. 1 • Discusses • his inability to write; • How the novel is prepared for; • Dresden in context

  8. Why write For writing: • Dresden, worse than Hiroshima, but not much publicity p. 10; • Obsessed (as “telephoners”, but his memory useless – p. 13-14  repetitions as nonsense or false starts (or rhymes p. 7; of names p. 4; “so it goes”) Against writing: • anti-war being anti-glacier, or anti-death 3-4 • O’Hare’s wife: books encouraging wars 15 • Lot’s wife looking back

  9. Preparation: Exposing the Frames • 1. the title decided, Children’s Crusade 15 and research • arranging climax and plots p. 5; • to the publisher 19 —nothing intelligent to say about a massacre

  10. Historical Perspectives: • Children’s Crusade --sold as slaves; p.16 • The seige of Dresden in 1760 • History is not progressive; • Is it linear?

  11. Life as a Dark comedy • Self-Belittling: the author’s life after the war //Yon Yonson 2-3, 7, 11 (//Billy Pilgrim) • Life’s transience -- “So it Goes” • as a reporter 9 -“So it goes.”  News media’s indifference • (later) airplane crash, and the wife’s car accident 25)lice, champaign 84; 73 • “if the accident will.” p. 2

  12. Life as Presented by Commercial Culture • P. 18 World’s Fair in NY; Three Musketeers candy bar • More next time

  13. Characters (mentioned so far) • Views of people – no difference? P. 8 • Bernard V. O'Hare • Edgar Derby • Roland Weary • Paul Lazarro

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