Theme Of Counterculture In Slaughterhouse Five

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Slaughterhouse Five is the ideology of the 1960’s counterculture poured into a fictional autobiography, creating one of the most powerful anti-war books in history. This story is the fictional memoir of Kurt Vonnegut, a WWII veteran, who has suffered the effects of war on the human psyche. Slaughterhouse Five is not written as an anti-war story, however its portrayal of the destruction as a story leaves the reader with a sense of disgust. Vonnegut created this story during the counterculture’s rebellion against the Vietnam Conflict, several counterculture ideas are apparent throughout his story. These ideas are the voice of an entire people speaking out against the monstrosity of war, its unfairness, and ability to affect everyone. During the …show more content…

Billy Pilgrim has become unstuck in time and is privy to what happens in his “future” as he is living out his “past” and “present”; Pilgrim’s attitude to tragedies that occur to him is indifferent, he is unable to change what is meant to happen so he will simply accept his cup of misfortune and smile. This theme is actually a counter-counterculture idea, but it contributes to the helplessness of the soldiers in war, they are ordered and do as they are told because that is their life. “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom always to tell the difference. (Vonnegut 77)” Throughout the story the illusion of free will is proven through the nonlinear view of time. A phrase repeated several times “So it goes,” gives us the truth of the fixed place of events. This theme has been popular for several centuries and reoccurs in the counterculture, in An Essay on Man, by Alexander Pope, the last line reads: “Whatever is, is right.” (Pope 351) This means that anything that happens is meant for a reason and we are unable to change it. This illusion helps us humans maintain a sense of control of our own lives and pacifies our resistance to the real control of …show more content…

The full title: Slaughterhouse Five or the Children’s Crusade a Duty-Dance with Death, is significant in its not so subtle opposition for war. However, Vonnegut does not write about the war in a blunt way, but rather chooses to tell his story and let the war speak for itself. This is an astoundingly better approach than simply explaining the horrendous effects of ear, and this style expresses Vonnegut’s/the counterculture’s character. Slaughterhouse Five itself is a statement of the counterculture period; Vonnegut created his own story structure, uses a style of writing not associated with normal English mechanics, and has written the book as a story meant to be heard. This expresses the counterculture’s break from the norms of society and its ability to express itself. The style of the book is made to be a personal interaction with the reader, something the counterculture sought. Empowerment to the individual, personal expression, and frankness of thought are attributes of the movement Vonnegut

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