An Analysis Of Pilgrim's Slaughterhouse-Five

claiming that he was taken there and tests were performed on him. Tralfamadorian ideas are only apparent to Pilgrim during the story, because only he can become “stuck” and “unstuck” in time, meaning that he experiences different parts of his life at any given moment. At this point in the book, the transitions between past, present, future, and Tralfamadore become slightly muddled, making it easy to lose track of what is occurring in the story at that time.
As Billy Pilgrim becomes “stuck” and “unstuck” in time, the story continues to change from the three main settings; the war, Tralfamadore, and Billy’s hometown. In the end, the view is switched back to the narrator, then back to Pilgrim, and the book ends in Dresden.
Although this novel was written in a simple and easy to read literary style, the very complicated story lines sometimes made it difficult to understand what was happening. Additionally, Vonnegut created an intricate world separate from ours with the planet Tralfamadore, complete with beliefs about subjects such as time, life, and death. In doing so, he created a new way of thinking for not only the earthly character Billy …show more content…
Use of the phrase “So it goes” (Vonnegut) is so frequent that is becomes annoying, and even frustrating. In the book, this phrase typically appeared after a tragedy or a devastating event was described, such as after the firebombing or when Billy Pilgrim’s comrades were killed during the war. This aloofness toward death stems from the Tralfamadorian idea that one does not die, but exists in other parts of his or her life, with everything happening all at once. During Billy Pilgrim’s storyline, his belief in Tralfamadore and their concepts is especially apparent when this phrase is used, which is very