Slaughterhouse Five Essay

World War II is often held in high regard by many Americans. In media it is commonplace to see depictions of the American hero, bravely serving his country against the wave of fascism. The Second World War is often described as a “just war”. The generation of soldiers was dubbed “the greatest generation”. Films glorifying the art of war at all levels. Soldiers of WWII were men, played on screen by actors like John Wayne and Frank Sinatra. This portrayal is starkly different from Kurt Vonnegut’s semi-autobiographical novel, Slaughterhouse Five. He begins the story with his interactions with Mary O’Hare, who ensures that Vonnegut will not reminisce on his experience, and falsely portray himself as a “man”. Using the character of Billy Pilgrim, …show more content…
And she thought wars were partly encouraged by books and movies. Vonnegut 14-15. O’Hare begins by declaring Vonnegut was only a baby during the war. Vonnegut additionally reflects that she is truthful since he was still at the end of his childhood. While films compare soldiers to masculine men, Mary O’Hare understands that they are more similar to her children upstairs. The scene is set up as an interrogation. Mary O’Hare quickly asserts herself over Vonnegut, accusing him of glorifying his experience during the war. Her assertive tone warns Vonnegut not to reminisce on his service, but to be honest about his true grueling experiences. O’Hare continues by mentioning war films featuring John Wayne and Frank Sinatra. Evidently, Mary O’Hare resents films that glorify war since they encourage children like her own to fight. The engagement between O’Hare and Vonnegut shows how war will be shown throughout the rest of the story. Slaughterhouse Five is not a tale of heroism, but an account of the true soldier, who was just a “foolish virgin”. Billy Pilgrim’s viewing of a war film in reverse shows the deconstruction of a bomber as a benevolent act, illustrating that war is an inherent

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