Minimalism, in essence, is describing the most, in the least words possible. The art of literary minimalism seeded around 1960s and 1970s, a result of the then ongoing meta-fiction trend. There are some beliefs that minimalism in prose was actually initiated by the 1940s crime-fiction writers like James M. Cain, the writings of whom were imbued with the least of words and yet put forth a description of many. However, literary minimalism was brought to center-stage (this is the general agreement by most, if not all) through the guiding hands of authors such as Ernest Hemingway (his collection of short-stories and works earlier than the 70s), Raymond Carver, Ann Beattie and many more around the 1970s.
Almost the entirety of the concept of literary …show more content…
The dignity of movement of an iceberg is due to only one-eighth of it being above water. A writer who omits things because he does not know them only makes hollow places in his writing."
Minimalism is a narrative technique that is present in Slaughterhouse-Five through unexceptional events and ordinary characters. Vonnegut even admits that his novel has no real characters:
There are almost no characters in this story and almost no dramatic confrontations because most of the people are so sick and so much the listless playthings of enormous forces. One of the main effects of war . . . [is to discourage people] from being characters” …show more content…
It’s like the story behind these characters doesn’t play an important part of the book. They simply functions to help the readers understand events taking parts in Billy’s life. We can divide the characters of Slaughterhouse-Five in various groups:
• Billy’s companions during war
• Billy’s family and post war acquaintances
• Billy’s friends in outer space
And the last group may include Vonnegut and actual people in his life.
Some of the characters of Slaughterhouse-Five leave us the impression that war made them crazy and delusional. For example, Billy Pilgrim as the main character of Slaughterhouse-Five was taken prisoner of war by the Germans during the World War II and he was sent to Dresden where he witnessed and survived the destruction of the whole city. Later he became “unstuck in time” and can shuttle between the experiences of his life, not bound to the linear movement of time. He has also been captured by imaginary extraterrestrials called Tralfamadorian where he is displayed in a
Almost the entirety of the concept of literary …show more content…
The dignity of movement of an iceberg is due to only one-eighth of it being above water. A writer who omits things because he does not know them only makes hollow places in his writing."
Minimalism is a narrative technique that is present in Slaughterhouse-Five through unexceptional events and ordinary characters. Vonnegut even admits that his novel has no real characters:
There are almost no characters in this story and almost no dramatic confrontations because most of the people are so sick and so much the listless playthings of enormous forces. One of the main effects of war . . . [is to discourage people] from being characters” …show more content…
It’s like the story behind these characters doesn’t play an important part of the book. They simply functions to help the readers understand events taking parts in Billy’s life. We can divide the characters of Slaughterhouse-Five in various groups:
• Billy’s companions during war
• Billy’s family and post war acquaintances
• Billy’s friends in outer space
And the last group may include Vonnegut and actual people in his life.
Some of the characters of Slaughterhouse-Five leave us the impression that war made them crazy and delusional. For example, Billy Pilgrim as the main character of Slaughterhouse-Five was taken prisoner of war by the Germans during the World War II and he was sent to Dresden where he witnessed and survived the destruction of the whole city. Later he became “unstuck in time” and can shuttle between the experiences of his life, not bound to the linear movement of time. He has also been captured by imaginary extraterrestrials called Tralfamadorian where he is displayed in a