Examining Vonnegut’s Slaughter-House Five in order to Discover the Author’s Pacifist Motivations. War plays a significant role in shaping human history. The fires of war can temper a man until he is unbreakable, or they can melt him with their heat. For Kurt Vonnegut, the flames of war do something extraordinary. They burn away his ability to accept the atrocities that humans direct toward one another. They galvanize his mind, removing any doubt …showed first 75 words of 1298 total…

…showed last 75 words of 1298 total…in writing, he can demonstrate humanity’s need for widespread pacifism, as well as expose the senselessness of war. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ **Bibliography** Works Cited Gianonne, Richard. Vonnegut: A Preface to his Novels. Port Washington, NY: Kennikat, 1977. Holland, Thomas. “Vonnegut’s Major Works.” Vonnegut in America. New York: Dell Publishing Co., 1977. Smith, Dennis. “Predestination and Free Will in Slaughter-House Five.” Vonnegut in America. New York: Dell Publishing Co., 1977. Vonnegut, Kurt. Slaughter-House Five. New York: Dell Publishing Co., 1969.