Slaughterhouse-Five, or The Children's Crusade

Summary

Slaughterhouse-Five, or The Children's Crusade is a novel by American author Kurt Vonnegut, published in 1969. The book tells the story of Billy Pilgrim, an American soldier during World War II who survives the Allied bombing of Dresden. Despite the seemingly realistic opening chapters, the novel quickly shifts into the realm of science fiction: Billy gains the ability to travel through time and space. One moment he might be on the battlefield, and the next he is abducted by aliens from the planet Tralfamadore, where he is kept in a zoo. Through Pilgrim's narrative, Vonnegut thoughtfully explores themes of war, death, and the illusory nature of time and fate. Despite the absurdity and phantasmagoria of the events, the underlying text carries a profound anti-war message, making the novel one of Vonnegut's most significant works.