Kurt Vonnegut and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder - 810 Words

Kurt Vonnegut was an American writer, born in Indianapolis, Indiana. His parents, Kurt Vonnegut Sr. and Edith Vonnegut, both studied architecture at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He had two older siblings, Bernard and Alice. He attended Cornell University, along with his siblings. He enlisted in the army while at Cornell, and from there the army transferred him over to Carnegie Institute of Technology and then to the University of Tennessee, in which he studied mechanical engineering. One of his most known works, â€Å"Slaughterhouse-Five†, was about a soldier in World War II, much like himself, and the journey’s he goes through after, during, and before the war. Billy Pilgrim, the main character in the story randomly travels through time, and is abducted by aliens who see everything in fourth dimension. Billy was an optometrist, who then was drafted into the military. Billy pilgrim reflects the type of man that Vonnegut is himself. He writes of himself thr ough the fictional character, Billy. It is clear that they both suffer with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. PTSD is a disorder, common in war veterans, that causes anxiety due to a tragic accident or injury that the person experienced. It causes the person to have horrible flashbacks, or memories of the accident. In Billy’s case, the bombing of Dresden could account for the tragic accident that caused the anxiety. Vonnegut is using this allusion, as he was present and survived in the bombing of Dresden as well. AsShow MoreRelatedKurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse-Five -- A Great American Novel1383 Words   |  6 Pagesnovel, Slaughterhouse-Five, Kurt Vonnegut writes about war and its destructiveness. Vonnegut tells the story of Billy Pilgrim, an unlikely hero, mentally scarred by World War Two. Kurt Vonnegut explains how war is so devastating it can ruin a person forever. These are topics that are reoccurring in American history and have a relevance to the American people thus making Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse-Five a Great American Novel. After serving in World War Two, Kurt Vonnegut wrote Slaughterhouse-FiveRead MoreMental Health in Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut 737 Words   |  3 PagesFive, Kurt Vonnegut uses Billy Pilgrim’s actions, thoughts, and choices to demonstrate that Billy is insane in order to develop the idea that one’s hold on sanity can become altered following tragic events. Through Billy Pilgrim’s he creates an alternated world because Kurt Vonnegut demonstrates that Billy Pilgrim has not lost his sanity, but rather he suffers from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in order to develop the idea that sanity may appear different for people dealing with traumatic life eventsRead MoreWar and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Essay1831 Words   |  8 Pageslonger a concerning matter. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder does not attract sympathy from the citizens who lives were saved and protected by the soldier who no longer can live a normal life. American citizens have the expectation of soldiers who return to home to be strong, brave, and, overall, heroic. They glamorize the situation of returning home, and do take into account the horrors that the soldier has witnessed through his journey of survival. According to Vonnegut, in his novel, Slaughterhouse-FiveRead MoreKurt Vonnegut s Slaughterhouse Five902 Words   |  4 PagesI. Introduction A. Hook 1. PTSD, or post-traumatic stress disorder, is an anxiety disorder that develops in some after they experience extremely traumatic events, such as combat. Those with PTSD may relive the event via intrusive memories, flashbacks and nightmares; they would do anything to avoid memories of trauma, including inventing an alternate planet. 2. Billy, the main character in Kurt Vonnegut’s novel Slaughterhouse-Five, experienced firsthand the trauma of war during the firebombing ofRead MoreWhy Does Billy Pilgrim Become Unstuck in Time in Slaughterhouse-Five?710 Words   |  3 Pagesbook Slaughterhouse-Five the character Billy Pilgrim is a reflection of the author Kurt Vonnegut. He is said to become unstuck in time. But what does the author really mean by â€Å"unstuck in time?† The story begins after the bombing of Dresden, which caused PTSD that is very common in many people after being at war. PTSD is a very common aftermath of war, or even during war. PSTD stands for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. It is very common in deployed troops of all ages. It occurs after an event thatRead MoreSlaughterhouse Five By Kurt Vonnegut1211 Words   |  5 Pageswar isn’t a positive reaction, for it causes others to feel hate, fear, and anger. Kurt Vonnegut expresses his thoughts and experiences during World War Two and through the witnessing of the Dresden firebombing to show the reasons for the main character Billy’s actions. Billy Pilgrim has suffered from PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) which was caused by the negative experiences he faced during war. This disorder came about from this hate, fear, and anger he went through during this harsh timeRead MoreSlaughterhouse Five Are Obvious And Piercing As One1139 Words   |  5 PagesSo It Goes Kurt Vonnegut’s anti-war novel, Slaughterhouse Five, illustrates the ghastly experiences within World War II and the journey through the universe and time of the main character, Billy Pilgrim. Although war is a sensitive subject in most cases, Vonnegut’s sarcastic, dark humor on the matter helps bring light to the fact that war is horrendous. Slaughterhouse Five demonstrates the reality of war throughout its major themes, historical accuracy, and Kurt Vonnegut’s personal experiences withinRead MoreKurt Vonnegut Analysis1239 Words   |  5 PagesKurt Vonnegut The Nonsense of War and Billy Pilgrim The firebombing of Dresden by the Allies took as many as 135,000 innocent lives (AE). Among those firebombed, there was Kurt Vonnegut, a U.S. POW during World War II being held captive by the Nazis (AE). Strategically, the firebombing was senseless (AE). Many have speculated that the purpose of the bombing was to disrupt the Nazi war machine, which would make sense if it wasn’t for the fact that Dresden contained no heavy industry (AE). TheRead MoreBilly Pilgrims Struggle with PTSD in Vonneguts Slaughterhouse Five1766 Words   |  8 PagesIn order to illustrate the devastating affects of war, Kurt Vonnegut afflicted Billy Pilgrim with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), which caused him to become â€Å"unstuck in time† in the novel. Billy Pilgrim illustrates many symptoms of PTSD throughout the story. Vonnegut uses these Slaughterhouse Five negative examples to illustrate the horrible and devastating examples of war. The examples from the book are parallel to real l ife experiences of war veterans, including Vonnegut’s, and culminateRead MoreBilly Pilgrims Presentations of Metal Illness in Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse Five1286 Words   |  5 PagesBilly Pilgrim, the main character of Kurt Vonnegut’s novel Slaughterhouse Five, would not be described as an ordinary person by any standards. Billy is an optometrist, prisoner of war, World War II veteran, a zoo display for aliens, and a frequent time traveler. The character Billy is a controversial subject, because readers cannot discern whether he is sane and has fantastical experiences or is insane and deserves to be in a mental hospital. Billy Pilgrim may be many things, but is Billy simply