Themes In Slaughterhouse Five

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In the novel “Slaughterhouse-Five” Kurt Vonnegut uses several recurring themes that have major implications on the theme of the book. The most prominent, and arguably the most important, is the phrase “So it goes.” This phrase is used numerous times throughout the novel and it always comes after a death occurs. The fact that this phrase is used many times obviously shows its significance to the plot, but it is also important to note that it’s not just about death and its message can be seen mirrored in several other aspects of the text. Generally, “So it goes” means that’s just the way it is and life goes on. It is a way of accepting events in life simply as fate, embracing the idea that everything in life is predetermined, and that there…show more content…
However, when examing the events that happen in the story and how people react to them, it is evident that “So it goes” has a much bigger effect on the plot than what meets the eye initally. There are numerous occasions in the book that don’t directly involve death, but Billy still is passive and apathetic towards them just as he is towards death. One example of this is when he can’t sleep one night so he gets up and watches a movie while he waits for the Tralfamadorians to come abduct him. He already knew, due to his time travel, that they were going to come and abduct him. Instead of freaking out like everyone else would do, he instead is very calm and waits patiently for the aliens to come and take him away in their flying saucer. Another example regarding the Tralfamadorians is when he knows that they have plans to blow up the earth, but he doesn’t do anything to stop them or convince them otherwise. Also, when he knows that Paul Lazarro is going to kill him at his lecture in the baseball stadium. Despite the crowds shock, horror, and objection to the murder happening he doesn’t seem to mind. He sees it that Lazarro was going to kill him regardless because thats just the way it is. Then in Billy’s optometrist office he has a framed bible verse on the wall which reads, “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to tell the difference.” This bible verse goes along seemlessly with the overall mindset of Billy throughout the book. He seems to have an overall peace of mind about what he can and cannot change and an overall wisdom about events in life. This also ties in nicely to the Tralfamadorian view on free will, or lack of it, in the universe. They state that the earth is the first place they’ve encountered that people actually think

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