Many Writers In History Have Written Science Fiction Novels

Many writers in history have written science fiction novels and had great success with them, but only a few have been as enduring over time as Kurt Vonnegut s Slaughterhouse-Five. Slaughterhouse-Five is a personal novel which draws upon Vonnegut s experience s as a scout in World War Two, his capture and becoming a prisoner of war, and his witnessing of the fire-bombing of Dresden in February of 1945 (the greatest man-caused massacre in history). The novel is about the life and times of a World War Two veteran named Billy Pilgrim. In Slaughterhouse-Five, Kurt Vonnegut uses structure and point of view to portray the theme that time is relative. The way Kurt Vonnegut structures Slaughterhouse-Five aids in the portrayal of the theme that†¦show more content†¦While on Tralfamadore, Billy learns to accept his life as it is dealt to him because nothing that happens to you damages you forever. Since time is relative, and your life is like a mountain range, your death, birth, and al l the events in between are nothing more than peaks in a range of mountains, irremovable and able to be visited numerous times. The point of view that Slaughterhouse-Five is written from also affects the way the reader fells about time after reading the novel. Since the story is narrated by an omniscient being that is everywhere with Billy Pilgrim, the reader gets a first-hand account of every event in his life. Also, Billy is very relaxed and accepting all things around him. A good example of this is Billy s habit of following every death with so it goes. (Vonnegut 69) The repetition of this phrase not only de-emphasizes death, but also helps Vonnegut assert control over the reader’s response after a death. (Dawley 2) The way Billy describes the war as if it is still going also directly relates to his repetition of so it goes† and his acceptance of the relativity of time. After seeing the clean-shaven Americans at the camp, Billy realized how young they were and was sh ocked, saying,† My God, it s the Children s Crusade!Show MoreRelatedA Very Short Story By David Seed1476 Words   |  6 PagesScience Fiction has proven to be a difficult term to define, but has become one of the most popular genres of all time. We see science fiction in films, poetry, literature and in the imagination of every child. In the novel, A Very Short Introduction by David Seed, he discusses in six chapters the unconventional genre known as science fiction.   The In the Novel, A Very Short Story By David Seed, he   includes topics such as science and technology, space, aliens, utopias, gender, and its relation toRead More Isaac Asimov, Mind of a Child Essay1102 Words   |  5 Pagesnbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Throughout history man has always had a vivid imagination. In prehistoric times, old man used to write stories, tales and such upon their cave dwelling walls. 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