– The devastation caused by war in Slaughterhouse fiveSlaughterhouse Five is an anti-war novel by Kurt Vonnegut (11 November 1922 – 11 April 2007), one of the most inspiring novels of the 20th century Writers Americans. This book is unique in that it can be classified as historical fiction, science fiction, and autobiography at the same time (some parts of the protagonist's life are similar to Vonnegut's life). Slaughterhouse Five follows the life and travels of Billy Pilgrim, the main character of this non-linear novel. Billy has lived his life as a social outcast, a stereotypically weak and unpopular boy. It's a soldier's prank when he is drafted into the army and soon becomes "unstuck in time", or so he says. The book's climax, the cruel and needless bombing of Dresden, reflects the actual bombing of the city by Allied forces. The offensive killed approximately 25,000 people with the use of firebombs and destroyed much of the real-life city. Billy likely suffered from PTSD in the book due to the horrific scenes he witnessed, and this may help explain the mental imbalance that caused him to believe he was "unstuck in time". Many real-life veterans suffered similar problems due to the war; the greatest evil humanity has ever created. War was a major issue during Vonnegut's time as World War II had recently ended and the Cold War (particularly the conflict in Vietnam) had begun to intensify. Vonnegut's time in the army amplified his pacifist feelings, and ever since his return he had planned to write about the horrific images he had seen in Dresden. It took him 23 years to finally complete Slaughterhouse Five, a book in which ...... middle of paper ......sion of literary techniques such as Irony and Symbols/Symbolism in Slaughterhouse Five strengthens Kurt's thesis Vonnegut that war can cause terrible devastation. Vonnegut used this book to convey a profound message to the hearts of all his readers: war can ruin the lives of millions of people and is perhaps the greatest evil man has ever created. He combines this message with additional literary styles such as foreshadowing and flashbacks to successfully persuade and inspire his followers to stop future wars which can often have catalytic consequences. His teachings have been successful to this day as the world has become a better place (at least for the most part) and this can mean nothing but positives for future generations. Works Cited Vonnegut, Kurt. Slaughterhouse Five: A Crusade for Children. 1969. New York: Dell Publishing, 1991. Print.