Slaughterhouse 5 creates and has a variety of views and questions to make one wonder. My questions in Slaughterhouse 5 is basically about what goes through the mind of Billy Pilgrims head at all times. He has an interesting way of thinking because his PTSD and flashbacks sort of alter his mind in mesmerizing and astonishing ways. The book reflects emotions of his past. What the author did was take satire and a bit of dark imagery and put it together to form Billys character. One main question i’ve had was that would you consider this book to be a bit psychedelic or just like a naturally occurring? For example with the Tralfamadorians are they from a dream or are they just randomly thought out? When the kidnapped Billy and took him away I thought they were going to kill him and eat him like every other alien race. The author seems to lead you into what you want to think then surprises you in a very unusual way into what he wants to show you. Even with how he describes them its like he is trying to freak you out a little. “Billy closed that one eye, saw in his memory of the future poor old Edgar Derby in front of the firing squad in the ruins of Dresden”(Page 165). Billy envisions Edgar dying and sort of predicts what happens. “Why are you all scared? If you all believe death is so bad you haven't heard a word i've said!”(Page 142). With Jeremy's quote its kind of like how they are saying fearing death isn’t bad at all. What they are saying is prepare for it as in do not fear but be calm and tranquil when it comes. “Tralfamadorians, of, course say that every creature and planet in the Universe is a machine. It amuses them that so many earthlings are offended by the idea of beginning machines” (page 154). I would say that the Tralfamadorians are not a hostile race but are kind of like a strange race. In some alternate ways of thinking yes everything is a machine. Planets and living things have their runtime in the world and are running with a time to end once they start. A machine doesn’t always last forever but it will keep running. When Billy is captured and taken to a prisoner of war camp he has his life flash before his eyes. He has nightmares while sleeping in the boxcar before they take him.He is panicking and is stressed, he takes a dose of morphine and begins to trip into time. “ And Billy took a very short trip through time, made a peewee jump of only ten days, so he was still twelve, still touring the west with his family” (Page 89). He is probably taking the morphine to cooperate with his PTSD. “Billy was displayed there in a zoo in a simulated earthling habitat”(Page 112). Billy is treated like an animal. He is given another human female to reproduce with. This maybe evidence that he was having a hard drug related dream or was just in his own world going in the zone. “ I look at you sometimes, said Valencia, and I get a funny feeling that you’re just full of secrets”. In some cases you can tell what is real and what seems to be like a dream. I’m still wondering where Vonnegut got the idea of the fourth dimension tied in this book. Basically the book demonstrates how the Tralfamadorians have evolved compared to regular humans. In our point of view if there was another type of species of alien that saw in the second dimension then we might use them like how the Tralfamadorians use Billy. Billy seems always to be nervous and a bit scared of everything throughout the book. I understand he might have a mental illness and that he has fought through a war but he needs to loosen up a bit more and express himself. My main question for the author would be why is he like this?
Another question and view on Slaughterhouse 5 is a story that leads people to ask questions about society and human nature by looking deep into the mind of Billy Pilgrim. This story shows what war can do to to a person, and it leads people to ask why is Billy not afraid of death. By showing Billy jumping through time it leads people to ask if its really happening or if it is all in Billy’s head, or if it is a metaphor of some kind. In the book billy talks about how violent earthlings are to the aliens, and it leads people to ask why are we violent and why don’t we live in peace. Vonnegut also uses many images over and over such as “so it goes” which may be a hint towards billy’s lack of emotion because of his life of tragedy and struggle due to war, but the biggest question from this book is why was this book written? To me this book shows what war can do to a person and how destructive it is, but to some it may mean something completely different because how it is written. Some metaphors can be taken in different ways. “Billy was displayed there in a zoo in a simulated earthling habitat”112. To me the recurring theme represents billy feeling helpless in his life because of the war. The theme of war is persistent throughout the book from Dresden to the atomic bombs dropped on japan, “sixteen hours ago an american airplane dropped one bomb on hiroshima”185. Because war is such a prominent theme in this book I think it is important and speaks to people, especially in this country where it seems we are always in a war. War is one of the most protested things in our country and around the world, and I think Vonnegut is subtly trying to share his opinion or maybe not so subtly. Vonnegut is very interesting in his describing of Billy and his personality, in many books the main character is a person who is likeable and heroic in some way. In this case though the main character is not necessarily a hero or even a likeable person."He is in a constant state of stage fright, he says, because he never knows what part of his life he is going to have to act in next”23. To me Billy seems like a jittery nervous person, also he seems to be crazy. So why does Vonnegut portray him this way? It is especially strange because often times war is glamorized and a standout hero is established. I think that is exactly what Vonnegut is trying to avoid, because this book isn’t about glamorizing war, it is the opposite. Billy is the type of person that nobody strives to be like, and he got that way from war.
Slaughterhouse 5 also leads people to question human nature throughout the story. The sentence “so it goes” repeats throughout the whole story and can connect to many different ideas. Some people believe “so it goes” is a reference to his emotional state, others believe it has to do with past experiences and thats why he doesn't seem to care that much. However, I think it has to do with the idea of death, and how it is an inescapable part of life yet people are scared of their imminent future. “In the next moment Billy Pilgrim is dead, so it goes.” “The boys father had been killed in vietnam , so it goes.” These quotes showcase how he feels death is commonplace and it doesn't shock him. Another quote that shows his views on death is, “If you all think death is so terrible you haven't heard a word I've said. pg 145” This shows Billy doesn't believe death is terrible. He believes death is imminent and it shouldn't be treated as a huge deal. The way death is perceived seems to perplex Billy, but he doesn't give any solutions or mention any ideas on how death should be perceived other than saying “death should not be perceived as terrible.” I think this forces the reader to question how death should be viewed in society. It most certainly made me think how death is viewed as a scary and sad ending of life instead of looking forward to figuring out what really is after death. This was the way “so it goes.” and Slaughterhouse 5 made me question human nature.
Kurt Vonnegut makes
a reader question the human act of feeling and the emotions brought on by the tragedy’s of everyday life. Vonnegut uses Billy’s tragedies and mental state to reference the way society has impacted on the idea of emotion. He speaks of the impact that emotions have on society, avoiding the true human need of fright or flight. Using the line “so it goes” on nearly every page to symbolize life moving on while Billy has lost the knowledge to feel loss and tragedy. As we read the book, Billy Pilgrim and his adventures capture his emotionless filled words as he tells his story. While he also speaks of Tralfamadore, the alien planet, who view time simultaneously. Tralfamadorians know the future outcome, not needing emotions, knowing the pain to come can cause someone or something to understand the truth while not needing to have remorse for a wrongful situation. “Tralfamadorians, of, course say that every creature and planet in the Universe is a machine. It amuses them that so many earthlings are offended by the idea of beginning machines” pg 154. Billy makes it obvious that he has come to understand death while understanding life. As a society we are overcome with so many emotions each obstacle and event seems to be overflowing with importance society cannot grasp the tasks to come ahead. “Why are you all scared? If you all believe death is so bad you haven't heard a word i've said!” While society is concerned with death of their own soul and body they forget to listen to what’s around them. Filled with the emotion fear and meaningless wants, a human does not have the ability to revert to basic needs and survival. The prominent urge of competitiveness and fills the mind with impaired judgement. As early humans roamed the Earth, as animals fought against prey, all sense of the body react to the brains fight or flight mode. Emotions do not play in effect but the basic functions keep moving and "so it goes".
Our conclusion is genuinely answering the question asked. The examples and quotes used are directly from the book. The human nature used in the book is basically more about stress and what happens to the brain under a mental disorder. We came to conclude that the main character does have PTSD and is trying to cope with it. The author of the book is mostly known to us as a genius in the world of psychedelic writing because the story takes flight with the most diverse approach. We say that most if not all questions were answered about the book through all of our essays.
Another question and view on Slaughterhouse 5 is a story that leads people to ask questions about society and human nature by looking deep into the mind of Billy Pilgrim. This story shows what war can do to to a person, and it leads people to ask why is Billy not afraid of death. By showing Billy jumping through time it leads people to ask if its really happening or if it is all in Billy’s head, or if it is a metaphor of some kind. In the book billy talks about how violent earthlings are to the aliens, and it leads people to ask why are we violent and why don’t we live in peace. Vonnegut also uses many images over and over such as “so it goes” which may be a hint towards billy’s lack of emotion because of his life of tragedy and struggle due to war, but the biggest question from this book is why was this book written? To me this book shows what war can do to a person and how destructive it is, but to some it may mean something completely different because how it is written. Some metaphors can be taken in different ways. “Billy was displayed there in a zoo in a simulated earthling habitat”112. To me the recurring theme represents billy feeling helpless in his life because of the war. The theme of war is persistent throughout the book from Dresden to the atomic bombs dropped on japan, “sixteen hours ago an american airplane dropped one bomb on hiroshima”185. Because war is such a prominent theme in this book I think it is important and speaks to people, especially in this country where it seems we are always in a war. War is one of the most protested things in our country and around the world, and I think Vonnegut is subtly trying to share his opinion or maybe not so subtly. Vonnegut is very interesting in his describing of Billy and his personality, in many books the main character is a person who is likeable and heroic in some way. In this case though the main character is not necessarily a hero or even a likeable person."He is in a constant state of stage fright, he says, because he never knows what part of his life he is going to have to act in next”23. To me Billy seems like a jittery nervous person, also he seems to be crazy. So why does Vonnegut portray him this way? It is especially strange because often times war is glamorized and a standout hero is established. I think that is exactly what Vonnegut is trying to avoid, because this book isn’t about glamorizing war, it is the opposite. Billy is the type of person that nobody strives to be like, and he got that way from war.
Slaughterhouse 5 also leads people to question human nature throughout the story. The sentence “so it goes” repeats throughout the whole story and can connect to many different ideas. Some people believe “so it goes” is a reference to his emotional state, others believe it has to do with past experiences and thats why he doesn't seem to care that much. However, I think it has to do with the idea of death, and how it is an inescapable part of life yet people are scared of their imminent future. “In the next moment Billy Pilgrim is dead, so it goes.” “The boys father had been killed in vietnam , so it goes.” These quotes showcase how he feels death is commonplace and it doesn't shock him. Another quote that shows his views on death is, “If you all think death is so terrible you haven't heard a word I've said. pg 145” This shows Billy doesn't believe death is terrible. He believes death is imminent and it shouldn't be treated as a huge deal. The way death is perceived seems to perplex Billy, but he doesn't give any solutions or mention any ideas on how death should be perceived other than saying “death should not be perceived as terrible.” I think this forces the reader to question how death should be viewed in society. It most certainly made me think how death is viewed as a scary and sad ending of life instead of looking forward to figuring out what really is after death. This was the way “so it goes.” and Slaughterhouse 5 made me question human nature.
Kurt Vonnegut makes
a reader question the human act of feeling and the emotions brought on by the tragedy’s of everyday life. Vonnegut uses Billy’s tragedies and mental state to reference the way society has impacted on the idea of emotion. He speaks of the impact that emotions have on society, avoiding the true human need of fright or flight. Using the line “so it goes” on nearly every page to symbolize life moving on while Billy has lost the knowledge to feel loss and tragedy. As we read the book, Billy Pilgrim and his adventures capture his emotionless filled words as he tells his story. While he also speaks of Tralfamadore, the alien planet, who view time simultaneously. Tralfamadorians know the future outcome, not needing emotions, knowing the pain to come can cause someone or something to understand the truth while not needing to have remorse for a wrongful situation. “Tralfamadorians, of, course say that every creature and planet in the Universe is a machine. It amuses them that so many earthlings are offended by the idea of beginning machines” pg 154. Billy makes it obvious that he has come to understand death while understanding life. As a society we are overcome with so many emotions each obstacle and event seems to be overflowing with importance society cannot grasp the tasks to come ahead. “Why are you all scared? If you all believe death is so bad you haven't heard a word i've said!” While society is concerned with death of their own soul and body they forget to listen to what’s around them. Filled with the emotion fear and meaningless wants, a human does not have the ability to revert to basic needs and survival. The prominent urge of competitiveness and fills the mind with impaired judgement. As early humans roamed the Earth, as animals fought against prey, all sense of the body react to the brains fight or flight mode. Emotions do not play in effect but the basic functions keep moving and "so it goes".
Our conclusion is genuinely answering the question asked. The examples and quotes used are directly from the book. The human nature used in the book is basically more about stress and what happens to the brain under a mental disorder. We came to conclude that the main character does have PTSD and is trying to cope with it. The author of the book is mostly known to us as a genius in the world of psychedelic writing because the story takes flight with the most diverse approach. We say that most if not all questions were answered about the book through all of our essays.