Nothing But Death Analysis

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Death, by definition, is the cessation of all biological functions that sustain a living organism. As death is considered in different contexts, it may alter its meaning as a whole. Kurt Vonnegut's “Slaughterhouse - Five” and Pablo Neruda's “Nothing But Death” are two examples in the literary world where death plays a major role in the storyline. Delving into the two pieces of literature, the similarities and differences become clear with regards to how death is portrayed. Firstly, as the stories pan out in the novel and the poem, it is seen immediately how death is conceptualized differently in both. Furthermore, the use of colors is integrated into both works by the authors when portraying or describing the end of a life, or the event of …show more content…
A cyclical approach towards life is incorporated in the novel which suggests the occurrence of death is merely an event in the cycle of life. This is seen in a letter Billy, a crucial character in the novel, writes: “The most important thing I learned on Tralfamadore was that when a person dies he only appears to die. [...] all moments, past, present, and future, always have existed, always will exist” (Vonnegut. 26). Billy suggests that the Tralfamadorians taught him the aspect of a recurring life. This learned aspect is depicted throughout the novel using the phrase “so it goes” (Vonnegut), subsequently following the occurrence of death. This then clarifies that death has occurred in the cycle as it will many times more. That being said, life in the poem is interpreted in a linear form where one event is followed by another until death, after which nothing more occurs. This is seen as Neruda says, “ sometimes I see alone, coffins under sail, [...], caskets sailing up the vertical river of death,” (Neruda). The quote simplifies the meaning of death as reading between the lines suggests that once death has occurred, it puts a stamp on the linear action of life. This stamp is then followed by the journey of the bodies to wherever they must go next and in no way whatsoever suggest that there is a cycle. Neruda also states how the bodies of the dead are degrading and
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