Book 37: Finished.

In my last post, I talked about Vonnegut's style and his way of writing a distinct anti-war book.

However, his book is often classified as slightly science-fiction, since there is a lot of conversation about time and place.

Now, stick with me, but in numerous portions of the book, Billy Pilgrim (the main character) travels to another world where he is on display as a representative from Earth. This serves a great purpose for helping to explain Vonnegut's point.

The novel does not flow in a linear fashion like readers are used to. We are used to things going in order, as they happen, with perhaps a minor flashback or two. That is not the case in Slaughterhouse-Five. At times it can be really difficult to see when and where Billy is, since he flows in and out of his own life and memories.

It is really this concept of time that makes the novel more powerful. Time and its movement is also the driving force behind the TV show LOST. I read this novel when I did in part to coincide with the LOST Books Challenge, so I have to explain both because they are very similar. In LOST, the characters have flashbacks and flashforwards, and sometimes even flashsideways. For many people who have tried to watch the show, this has become confusing. Moving in and out of time with characters is disorienting since you don't see them live their life in order. It is only after seeing a flashback that we understand who and what they are. Then the story falls into place.

Vonnegut's book is the same way. Billy changes age and location throughout the novel. And while the book is written about the Dresden bombings, the bombing doesn't take place until nearly the end. And there is a reason for that. By manipulating time and the linear structure of the book, Vonnegut helps explain who Billy was before the bombings, and the man he became after. Essentially, all events in a person's life shape them into who they are.

Vonnegut hints at this using the aliens I mentioned before. They try to explain to Billy their own concept of time. Here are some of their thoughts:

"Earthlings are the great explainers, explaining why this event is structured as it is, telling how other events may be achieved or avoided. I am a Tralfamadorian, seeing all time as you might see a stretch of the Rocky Mountains. All time is time. It does not change. It does not lend itself to warnings or explanations. It simply is. Take it moment by moment, and you will find that we are all, as I've said before, bugs in amber," (85-86).

"If what Billy Pilgrim learned from the Tralfamadorians is true, that we will all live forever, no matter how dead we may sometimes seem to be, I am not overjoyed. Still-if I am going to spend eternity visiting this moment and that, I'm grateful that so many of those moments are nice," (211).

To them, time is nothing. They can see each memory and moment at once and that influences their life. There is no separation between who they once were and who they are now because they are always all of that in one. That is an interesting concept of time, and one that LOST uses fairly well.

The TV show's characters move in and out of time just like Billy Pilgrim and while the view thinks, "Wow, that is different from how I saw them" it is not different than how the character saw him or herself. They have always been that way and always will be. Their memories and pasts have turned them into who they are, just as their futures will continue them down that path.

You can think of it in your own life. We all have moments that have made us who we are, but the moments never really leave us. They have transformed us and we can recall it in an instant by simply remembering it.

It is heavy to think about-time. But Vonnegut does it well and it serves his story. When Billy finally gets to Dresden and lives through the bombing, it all makes sense. The bombing is a part of him that he will never forget. It changed him and made him into who he is. It forever altered his life and will always remain with him.

Classics Interviews.

Hello readers!

I discussed on Sunday that I would like to start a new feature on my blog where I interview YOU on a classic you recently read, or have read in the past. It does not have to be a book that you loved, or that I have already reviewed to count!

There have already been a number of people who have e-mailed me saying they're interested, but I would love to have more. I will be sending out some e-mails and questions later on tonight to those interested so we can get this feature started!

So if you want me to help spread the word about a wonderful book you have read, please feel free to e-mail me (you can find my e-mail on my profile page).

Thank you all!!

Book 37: So it Goes.

One of the things I love most about Kurt Vonnegut is that he always writes his books in a way where the reader is left wondering if he has a point. Saying it that makes it seem like a horrible way of writing so I have to explain what I mean.

In Slaughterhouse-Five Vonnegut begins by writing the tale in first person, from his own point of view. His reasons for writing the book are discussed in the beginning. During WWII, Vonnegut was in Dresden during the fire bombings. It was a horrible massacre and killed thousands of people, but was hushed up for years after. Vonnegut is haunted by what he saw there and his own experiences, so his goal is to write a book about his experiences.

Then the narrative switches to a man named Billy Pilgrim. The book follows Billy as he flows in and out of memories and time-to the moments before he arrived in Dresden, to his present, and to the time when he was happiest.

It is an odd way of telling a story. At first you wonder if Vonnegut is ever going to get to describing the fire bombings in Dresden. He spends pages and pages recounting Billy Pilgrim's life before and after the war, seemingly with no point.

It is only when Billy heads towards Dresden does Vonnegut's point sink in.

It was too difficult for Vonnegut to write about himself and his own experiences, so he created a man that he could throw his troubles on. After seeing he slaughter, Billy goes a little crazy. His life is forever altered by what he saw. That is Vonnegut's point-war changes people and impacts people in a way that those who stayed home can never understand. Billy's family thinks he is crazy because they weren't there. They didn't experience what Billy saw and his daydreams away from his life are his own way of escaping what he experienced.

War does something to the people who were there, and for those who experienced horrible events, like the bombing of Dresden, well, they never forget that. That experience, along with countless others from their lives, stays with them for the rest of their life. It becomes them and changes them in a way we cannot begin to understand.

So when I say you have to wonder if Vonnegut has a point, he always does. He may take a roundabout way of getting there, but he does.

Sunday Salon: May 2, 2010.

Matt and I spent the weekend in Battle Creek, MI for my friend's wedding. I met Sarah in college and we have become incredibly close friends, even though we are pretty opposite. She is a numbers kind of a girl, and I am obviously a words kind of girl, but we are incredibly close and I love her dearly.

She stood up in our wedding back in December and I was so honored when she asked me to be one of her bridesmaids. It was great to see someone I care about get married to someone who is so right for her. It was a beautiful wedding ceremony and it touched me deeply. The reception was a great party.

The best part of all of it was reaffirming my own feelings towards Matt. I think too often people get wrapped up in the day to day motions and forget what is truly important.

Anyway, it was a busy weekend and we managed to get back to our side of the state this afternoon to get to work. I feel quite exhausted and I am grateful I have another day off tomorrow. Knowing I can sleep in a little makes staying up a little more bearable. :)

I made sure to schedule a post for yesterday and I was happy to see that some people answered my questions. If you haven't already, I would appreciate some more input! But, I have already decided on a few things that I want to add. I agree that my blog needs to be a little more interactive, so I have a few things stewing in my head.

I have two things I would love to get started on right away, but they require some reader participation.

The first is a new feature where I would like to interview readers on classics they have read. You don't have to read a new-to-you classic to participate, but just be willing to answer some questions and give your thoughts. You also don't have to pick a book that is on my list, or one that I have finished already. It simply needs to be a book by a classic author. If you are interested in participating, please e-mail me (you can find my e-mail on my blogger profile page). I would love to have as many people participate as possible! It will be great to get other opinions on these great works.

Second, I really want to host some more read-alongs. Based on my experience with read-alongs, I think that scheduling one date to discuss the whole book will work better than "assigned" reading. One of my goals when I started this blog was to encourage more people to read more of the classics, since they are often forgotten, or snubbed. One of the things I am learning about these works is that they are not nearly as inaccessible as I thought they were. In fact, I have loved almost every book I have read for this project, with a few small exceptions. I find that to be an overwhelming result!

There should be a poll in the side bar (or there will be shortly), of what you would like to read first in a read-along. I am trying to offer a variety and I hope people will participate. Please vote!!


I have also rethought the structure of my posts. From this point forward I am going to combine my "book stats" post with my initial post on each book. I am still going to keep posting multiple posts, but I will try and provide links to my other posts on each book. For me, reading is a process and I like to document my thoughts as I read through each book. I doubt I will do this when I return to my regular reading habits, but I find I have so much to talk about when I read the classics that it is too much for one post.


Wow, that was a lot of discussion. Anyway, I hope you all have a great reading week. Personally, I have been in a bit of a reading slump, so I am hoping I can get out of it this week and get some wonderful books read!

Questions for my Readers:

I have been mulling a few things over in my head about some things I would like to do on the blog in the coming months. But I have a couple of questions that I would appreciate your HONEST input on!

1. I am thinking about hosting a read-along a month on certain classics. If I did this, would you be interested and would you participate?
2. What books would you be interested in for read-alongs?
3. Should I change the way I write posts in anyway?
4. Is there any piece of information you would like me to add on my "book stats" posts?
5. I would like to offer posts to anyone who reads a classic and would like to post. I was thinking of doing an interview on the classic read to offer some more variety and opinions. Would you be interested? Do you already have a book I can interview you on?
6. What would you like to see more of?
7. Any other comments, questions??

Thank you. I would really appreciate any feedback you can offer!