The Freedom Of Fiction

As we have discussed in class these past few days, Slaughterhouse Five changes narrator and time constantly. Since the first chapters in the book I have wondered who Billy Pilgrim was. My theories ranged from Vonnegut, a war buddy who knew Vonnegut, an invented character, and somebody who told his story to Vonnegut. After reading and discussing some more I have come to one conclusion, which is that Billy is an invented character based on the author’s life. On my previous blog I mentioned how Billy and Vonnegut’s pasts had been almost identical and the only thing that separated them was the future. Billy is necessary to the story because it is a way for the author to tell his experience, but also transmit the impact it left on him. If it where his opinion it would have much less credibility, but if it is telling somebody else’s story people will pay more attention. His invention symbolizes freedom; people will not judge or investigate if what he is telling is the truth, if he simply acknowledges the story is based on an invented character. A great example would be his conversations with Lazzaro. If Vonnegut would say that Billy is hi reflection, then Lazzaro must have existed and somebody would look for him. Nobody will judge his answers to things like ““Anybody ever asks you what the sweetest thing in life is-” said Lazzaro, “its revenge.”” (Vonnegut, Chapter 6) Whatever Billy responds is acceptable. Some might say that Lazzaro is a person who dwells on the past but if the story is fake people will receive the message about revenge and not about the characters morals.

It is clear to me that Billy is not Vonnegut since he meets him “This was I. That was me. That was the author of this book. (Vonnegut, Chapter 5). There was also some discussion that said that the book Billy was writing was in fact the book we are reading now. This accusation can be denied since Vonnegut makes reference to his book saying “It begins like this: Listen: Billy Pilgrim has come unstuck in time. It ends like this: Poo-tee-weet?” (Vonnegut, Chapter 1) If Vonnegut says his book begins and ends in the same way that Slaughterhouse Five does then it is his book. I am not saying that my conclusion is perfect but we must definitely consider it.