Relationship Between Slaughterhouse Five and Postmodernism

     Slaughterhouse Five,  by Kurt Vonnegut, is a book in which the styles, origins, and beliefs of Postmodernism resonate very strongly. Perhaps more than any other book I've seen so far, Slaughterhouse Five offers the opportunity for the reader to interpret the story the way that they choose, which reflects one of Postmodernism's key beliefs. The broken chronology of the story, along with a series of unrealistic events like Billy's encounter with the Tralfamadorians, offer plenty of freedom to interpret the meaning of the author's writing in your own way, and to take from the text what you believe is important. In addition to allowing for the unique interpretations of the reader, the author demonstrates many unique interpretations of his own events. For example, on page 69 the author gives dialogue to the German soldiers who have just captured him. Even though he knows no German, he still communicates to the reader the way he interpreted the situation, and how it made an impression in his mind.

     The fact that the story was written on the basis of World War II also relates to postmodernism. As many works of postmodernism were inspired by the war, particularly bombings, and as this book was about the bombing of Dresden, there are many connections between the inspiration for this book and the inspiration of other works of postmodernism. The language, humor, and free-spiritedness of the author throughout also meet my expectations for what I would consider to be Postmodernist literature.