What is the central event of Slaughterhouse Five? Some may say its about Billy being unstuck in time. Other may say its just about the bombing of Dresden. What if the novel was in chronological order...what would the central event be?
If SH5 was is chronological order, this book would be about the bombing in Dresden. Kurt Vonnegut would just talk about Billy's life before and after the Dresden bombing and how Billy was affected. The novel would be boring.
Since SH5 isn't in chronological order, it keeps you reading, paying attention to every single detail. These details make connections to Billy's time hops all through out the story. To me, this story is about Billy being unstuck in time. Kurt Vonnegut discusses more then just the bombing in Dresden. Even though the bombing was in 1945, which is relatively early in Billy's life, the bombing isn't in full detail until towards the end of the novel. So many years of Billy's life in his older years are discussed because he jumps to those years.
What would Slaughterhouse Five be like if it was just told as Billy's life in chronological order? Would you be as entertained with the book?
It would make the book a whole lot easier to read, no more jumps around from moment to moment. Billy's life would have made a lot more sense and it would have made that timeline project easier. I think the book would have been less entertaining though as it takes away a main aspect of the book, the time jumps.
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