Slaughterhouse-Five
By Kerri O., Oxford, MA
Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut is so entertaining that I could not pull my eyes off the pages. It is not only great for lovers of science fiction, but also other genres as well. Although an anti-war book, Slaughterhouse-Five also contains humor, a great deal of irony, and very creative writing.
Slaughterhouse-Five’s Billy Pilgrim is an awkward protagonist completely unprepared for hardship and extraordinarily ignorant of the effects of war. He provides humor as he travels through time, is kidnapped and taken to an alien planet, and is one of the few to survive the bombing of Dresden, Germany. Vonnegut illustrates Pilgrim’s life in a non-chronological manner, making the book fun to read.
While laughing at the aliens of Tralfamadore, and crying because of Pilgrim’s tragic story, the reader also learns a lot about war and the great suffering it produces. Through humor, as well as other emotions and symbolism, the book forms a negative view of war. Slaughterhouse-Five combines many aspects of life and is a great read for all. I highly recommend it.
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