The idea of time, on earth, is very simple. Time consists of two main thoughts; there is only one moment happening at a time and that free will can determine what happens in a person’s lifetime. Slaughterhouse- Five, a science fiction novel written by Kurt Vonnegut, depicts time and challenges the idea of free will in an unusual way. The story follows a man by the name of Billy Pilgrim who “time travels” through different time periods in his life. Mostly, however, Billy is traveling through his experiences in World War Ⅱ. Vonnegut uses time in his novel to discuss the inevitable actuality of life, free will, and death.
Billy Pilgrim is a prisoner of war or “POW” after he is captured by the opposing German army. He is taken on trains to camps and eventually to Dresden, Germany days before a series of bombing engulf the city. His war experiences occur all while Billy is time traveling. “Billy Pilgrim has come unstuck in time...Billy is spastic in time, has no control over where he …show more content…
Tralfamadorians believe, as explain previously, that time and happenings in time “always will happen” and can not be stopped. However, free will is an idea in which people can choose and decide what happens in their life spans. People have the means to change their life in anyway possible and can make it go in any direction they choose. “‘You sound to me as though you don’t believe in free will,’ said Billy Pilgrim. ‘If I hadn’t spent so much time studying Earthlings..I wouldn’t have any idea what was meant by ‘free will’. I’ve visited thirty-one inhabited planets in the universe...only on Earth is there any talk of free will” (Vonnegut, 86). Although time can not be stopped, humans on Earth believe they have the ability to control what happens in the short time they have. Vonnegut uses this comparison of free will and Tralfamadorian ideas of time to show that free will does not exist in this
Billy Pilgrim is a prisoner of war or “POW” after he is captured by the opposing German army. He is taken on trains to camps and eventually to Dresden, Germany days before a series of bombing engulf the city. His war experiences occur all while Billy is time traveling. “Billy Pilgrim has come unstuck in time...Billy is spastic in time, has no control over where he …show more content…
Tralfamadorians believe, as explain previously, that time and happenings in time “always will happen” and can not be stopped. However, free will is an idea in which people can choose and decide what happens in their life spans. People have the means to change their life in anyway possible and can make it go in any direction they choose. “‘You sound to me as though you don’t believe in free will,’ said Billy Pilgrim. ‘If I hadn’t spent so much time studying Earthlings..I wouldn’t have any idea what was meant by ‘free will’. I’ve visited thirty-one inhabited planets in the universe...only on Earth is there any talk of free will” (Vonnegut, 86). Although time can not be stopped, humans on Earth believe they have the ability to control what happens in the short time they have. Vonnegut uses this comparison of free will and Tralfamadorian ideas of time to show that free will does not exist in this