Alex Bien Mrs. Mitchell English III CP, period 45 8 March 2024 Slaughterhouse-Five: Violence and Vonnegut’s Connection to Atrocity Thesis: In Slaughterhouse-Five, the experiences Vonnegut has in and out of the war, the atrocities he witnessed as a prisoner of war during the Dresden bombing, and his understanding of the brutality of war and the nature of society shape Billy Pilgrim’s life and the story of the novel. Biographical sketch Writing style Later years and writing Style Outside of being an author Slaughterhouse-Five (1969) Critique Public acclaim Experiences in and out of the war Family Novel structure Atrocities witnessed as a prisoner of war Dresden bombing Violence Understanding of the brutality of war Needlessness of war “So it goes” Tralfamadore Alex Bien Mrs. Mitchell
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The public were oblivious to the Dresden tragedy, which pushed Vonnegut to reveal the truth about what happened to open peoples’ eyes to the human capability of cruelty. Playing off of the idea of war and atrocity, a general idea shared between groups in this era was antiwar thinking. Protesters came together to voice their concerns, as Moss elaborates, “The antiwar protesters were dismissed as troublemakers at first, but in time their sentiments were echoed by many among the general population and within the nation’s leadership as well” (“Slaughterhouse” 347). The overall consensus throughout the nation was the hatred of war and the avoidance of it. Citizens did not want to contribute to violence, as is shown in the novel when Billy is speaking to a crowd of protesters and announces, “‘If you protest, if you think that death is a terrible thing, then you have not understood a word I’ve said” (Vonnegut
The public were oblivious to the Dresden tragedy, which pushed Vonnegut to reveal the truth about what happened to open peoples’ eyes to the human capability of cruelty. Playing off of the idea of war and atrocity, a general idea shared between groups in this era was antiwar thinking. Protesters came together to voice their concerns, as Moss elaborates, “The antiwar protesters were dismissed as troublemakers at first, but in time their sentiments were echoed by many among the general population and within the nation’s leadership as well” (“Slaughterhouse” 347). The overall consensus throughout the nation was the hatred of war and the avoidance of it. Citizens did not want to contribute to violence, as is shown in the novel when Billy is speaking to a crowd of protesters and announces, “‘If you protest, if you think that death is a terrible thing, then you have not understood a word I’ve said” (Vonnegut