The Theme of Time in Slaughterhouse-Five Essay -- Slaughterhouse-Five

The Theme of Time in Slaughterhouse-FiveMany writers in history have scripted science fiction impudents and had huge success with them, but only a few have been as enduring over judgment of conviction as Kurt Vonneguts Slaughterhouse-Five. Slaughterhouse-Five is a personal falsehood which draws upon Vonneguts experiences as a scout in World War Two, his capture and becoming a prisoner of war, and his witnessing of the fire bombing of Dresden in February of 1945 (the greatest man-caused massacre in history). The novel is to the highest degree the feel and times of a World War Two veteran named Billy Pilgrim. In Slaughterhouse-Five, Kurt Vonnegut uses social system and point of view to limn the theme that time is relative. The way Kurt Vonnegut structures Slaughterhouse-Five aids in the portrayal of the theme that time is relative. The novel is broke down into twain parts Vonneguts story about the novel and the life story of Billy Pilgrim. The life story of Billy Pilgrim which is presented as a series of episodes with no chronological order . This mirrors the structure of the novel which has a beginning, middle, and end but not in there respective places. (Dawley 1) Billy states numerous times in the novel that he has become washed-up in time and that the time travel periods atomic number 18nt necessarily fun. (Vonnegut 23) While the reader never leaves the main plot cast of the fire-bombing of Dresden for very long, Billy even so travels alot. Billy has seen his birth and death many times and all the events in between. (Vonnegut 23) The reader learns that the things Billy Pilgrim cannot change are the past, the present, and the future. (Vonnegut 60) Many of the time warps are to his later-life as an optometrist. During his life as an optometrist he marries one o... ...y the good moments and bad as well that life brings to us. (Dunstan 1) Slaughterhouse-Five gives the reader insight on the meaning of life, time, and war. The thought of humans world able to view their lives moments concurrently and not linearly is erroneous to the reader, yet Kurt Vonnegut brings into the readers passing play the idea of time being relative and only existing in humans imaginations. Works Cited ClassicNote. Insanity of war in Slaughterhouse-Five. 29 Jan 2001. http//www.gradesaver.com/ClassicNotes/Titles/slaughterhousefive/essays/insanitywar.htmlDawley, Jason. The use of Fragmentation in Slaughterhouse-Five. 29 Jan 2001. http//www.geocities.com/hollywood/4953/kv_fragmentation.html. Dunston, Brittany. devastation of Dresden, destruction of Vonneguts dream. 29 Jan 2001. Vonnegut, Kurt. Slaughterhouse-Five. New YorkDell, 1991. The Theme of Time in Slaughterhouse-Five Essay -- Slaughterhouse-Five The Theme of Time in Slaughterhouse-FiveMany writers in history have written science fiction novels and had great success with them, but only a few have been as enduring over time as Kurt Vonneguts Slaughterhouse-Five. Slaughterhouse-Five is a personal novel which draws upon Vonneguts experiences as a scout in World War Two, his capture and becoming a prisoner of war, and his witnessing of the fire bombing of Dresden in February of 1945 (the greatest man-caused massacre in history). The novel is about the life and times of a World War Two veteran named Billy Pilgrim. In Slaughterhouse-Five, Kurt Vonnegut uses structure and point of view to portray the theme that time is relative. The way Kurt Vonnegut structures Slaughterhouse-Five aids in the portrayal of the theme that time is relative. The novel is broke down into two parts Vonneguts story about the novel and the life story of Billy Pilgrim. The life story of Billy Pilgrim which is presented as a series of episodes with no chronological order . This mirrors the structure of the novel which has a beginning, middle, and end but not in there respective places. (Dawley 1) Billy states numerous times in the novel that he has become unstuck in time and that the time tra vel periods arent necessarily fun. (Vonnegut 23) While the reader never leaves the main plot line of the fire-bombing of Dresden for very long, Billy still travels alot. Billy has seen his birth and death many times and all the events in between. (Vonnegut 23) The reader learns that the things Billy Pilgrim cannot change are the past, the present, and the future. (Vonnegut 60) Many of the time warps are to his later-life as an optometrist. During his life as an optometrist he marries one o... ...y the good moments and bad as well that life brings to us. (Dunstan 1) Slaughterhouse-Five gives the reader insight on the meaning of life, time, and war. The thought of humans being able to view their lives moments concurrently and not linearly is erroneous to the reader, yet Kurt Vonnegut brings into the readers head the idea of time being relative and only existing in humans imaginations. Works Cited ClassicNote. Insanity of war in Slaughterhouse-Five. 29 Jan 2001. http//www.gradesaver.c om/ClassicNotes/Titles/slaughterhousefive/essays/insanitywar.htmlDawley, Jason. The use of Fragmentation in Slaughterhouse-Five. 29 Jan 2001. http//www.geocities.com/hollywood/4953/kv_fragmentation.html. Dunston, Brittany. Destruction of Dresden, destruction of Vonneguts dream. 29 Jan 2001. Vonnegut, Kurt. Slaughterhouse-Five. New YorkDell, 1991.