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Lucas Johnson
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Mr. Eliason
AP Language and Composition
November 12, 2016
Slaughterhouse Five Essay
Kurt Vonneguts Slaughterhouse Five is considered to be one of the most influential and

impactful anti-war novels of all time. Its depiction of PTSD and the bombing of Dresden paint a

stark image of war and its effects on humanity. However, Vonneguts comment on morality in

the novel is just as integral a piece as its anti-war stance is. With the conflict between

predestination and free will taking center stage in Slaughterhouse Five, Kurt Vonnegut

comments on morality by saying that the journey to the predetermined destination of death

should be one of righteousness and principles for any individual. This is well shown in multiple

instances, specifically by the actions and beliefs of the Tralfamadorians, the destruction caused

by immorality, and the psychological impact of war.

The Tralfamadorians play a large role in the meaning and development of Slaughterhouse

Five, and they accordingly contribute greatly to Vonneguts comment on morality. One of the

primary beliefs of the Tralfamadorians is that All moments, past, present, and future, always

will exist (Vonnegut 27), meaning that even after death individuals, and their actions, continue

to live on for eternity, giving great power to their everyday events. Furthermore, this says that

death does not diminish or eliminate their actions, making it even more imperative for them to do

morally sound deeds at all times. Another essential Tralfamadorian conviction is how They can

see how permanent all the moments are, and they can look at any moment that interests them

(27), signifying that anyones actions can be viewed, and, therefore, be judged, at any moment

over the course of their entire lives, even following their passing. With this, Vonnegut basically
says that they must hold themselves up to the highest ethical standards at every point in their

lives, for they will be critiqued forever by their exploits. This is almost exclusively demonstrated

in the first and last chapters of the book, in which Vonnegut, speaking directly to the reader,

looks back at the horrors he helped unleash on Germany during the Second World War with

distaste (13-15, 213-215), saying to himself that they were necessary actions to be done, all while

knowing that they could have completely been avoided. With both of these Tralfamadorian

beliefs, Vonnegut attempts to show them that death is the destination for every human, so why

spend the journey to it engaged in immoral and unconstructive activities, when they could bask

in the sunlight of pure and moral life. These contextual statements are very important to the

understanding of Vonneguts views on morality, and they furthered with the emphasis on the

destruction that immorality causes.

In his attempt to convince the reader that a moral life is the only reasonable option,

Vonnegut uses the imagery conjured in Slaughterhouse Five to show them the ruin that

immorality can unleash. This is no better demonstrated than in the depiction of post-bombing

Dresden. Vonneguts portrayal of the smoldering city is one that few of us can truly appreciate,

for many have never been witness to the kind of devastation that occurred there. In the novel,

Vonnegut talks about the beauty of Dresden before the bombing: He was enchanted by the

architecture of the city. Merry amoretti wove garlands above windows. Roguish fauns and naked

nymphs peeked down at Billy from festooned cornices. Stone monkeys frisked among scrolls

and seashells and bamboo (150). Its beauty represents humanity at its finest, while also being a

metaphor for morality and righteousness. The depiction of post-bombing Dresden, on the other

hand, makes it seem like the city isnt even on the planet Earth: One thing was clear: Absolutely

everything in the city was supposed to be dead, regardless of what they were, and that anybody
that moved in it represented a flaw in the design. There were to be no moon men at all (180).

The continual use of moon and moonscape in the description of the hollowed out city just

shows how stunning the devastation really was, while also making the subtle point that actions

like these (i.e. the bombing, or, as a matter of fact, any war-like activity) have no place on planet

Earth. Furthermore, the bombing, and in fact the entire Second World War, represents

immorality in Slaughterhouse Five. Vonnegut wants the reader to see that the only thing that

immorality accomplishes is destruction, and, in the case of the bombing of Dresden, complete

obliteration. With that, the reader has an unavoidable choice: either be a person who contributes

to the building of the beautiful city of Dresden, or be a person who helps in its destruction from

the face of the planet. This destruction, however, isnt only limited to physical objects.

Wars effects on the psychological states of those involved is a center piece of

Slaughterhouse Five, and it can be used to further demonstrate the views of Vonnegut on

morality. The consequences of PTSD on Billy are seen everywhere in Slaughterhouse Five, from

how he believes in the existence of Tralfamadorians, to how he has a breakdown when the

barbershop quartet sings at his anniversary party (172), to how he cries when he sees the disabled

veterans selling magazine subscriptions door to door in his neighborhood (62), to how he has a

mental breakdown following the war and he spends sometime in the psychiatric ward of the VA

Hospital near Lake Placid, NY (99). The war robbed Billy, and practically all the other service

members in the Second World War, of their innocence and sense of calm, leaving all but a shell

of their former selves. They witnessed horrors that no human should ever see, were given orders

to unleash terror on innocent people, and were applauded on their arrival home for their heroism

and bravery, all while knowing below the surface that some of the actions they committed were

far more horrible than what even they could acknowledge. Due to them being viewed by the
American public as strong, fearless heroes of our nation, few saw them as fragile human beings

that needed help, with many never receiving the psychological help they so desperately needed

following what many can say was one of the hardest experiences of their lives. What Vonnegut

is trying to do by painting this desperate picture of those with PTSD is this: that immoral actions

(in this case war) not only lead to the destruction of physical beauty, but also to the elimination

of what makes us as human beings beautiful. This can range from personalities, to ideas, to sense

of being, and with the loss of those they arent the people they used to be. Humanity loses so

much in war, not only in terms of lives lost or buildings destroyed, but also in terms of the

psychological tolls that those in war pay for us. With that very critical statement on war,

Vonnegut makes them question if committing immoral acts is really worth it at any time, for in

one way or another they pay for it dearly.

As it has been shown, Vonnegut, through multiple different ways and examples, paints a

very clear image of his views on morality. His use of the beliefs of the Tralfamadorians, the

destruction caused by immorality, and the psychological effects of war on those in it attempts to

make the reader realize that, considering that in the end they all must die, they still have the free

will to decide whether or not to lead morally righteous lives, and that the only acceptable option

for them is to choose to lead a life of righteousness and principles. Vonnegut clearly believes that

war is a highly immoral activity, and that it must be eradicated from the planet at the earliest

time possible. Slaughterhouse Five will remain one of the defining anti-war books of all time,

and its message on morality will hopefully inspire future generations to lead morally superior

lives full of righteousness and principles.

Ideas: 15/15
Explanations & Close Reading: 19/20
MLA Citation Execution: 9/10
Meets Requirements: 5/5
Reflection included: +5
Total: 53/50
 Citations

1. Vonnegut, Kurt. Slaughterhouse Five. New York: Delacorte, 1969. Print.