Slaughterhouse Five By Kurt Vonnegut

In literature, the formalism method is used to produce a structured and organized written piece that successfully communicates the author's intended message. In this approach, emphasis is placed on elements like plot, characterization, point of view, symbolism, allusions, imagery, and repetition. By concentrating on these components, the writer can produce a seamless and captivating story that connects with readers. The novel "Slaughterhouse Five" by Kurt Vonnegut uses non-linear narrative structure, symbolism, and color to best accentuate the formalist approach.
Nonlinear narrative structure disrupts the chronological progression of events. The story oscillates between different time periods, including Billy Pilgrim’s experiences during

'' Bill has gone to sleep as a senile widower and awakened on his wedding day. He walked through a door in 1955 and came out of another one in 1941" ( Vonnegut 23) Billy is often described as traveling through time, but in reality, he is suffering from PTSD and is trying to deal with his trauma from the war. ''According to plan, the barbershop quartet of optometrists, ''The Fedbs, sang while other people drank. Unexpectedly, Billy Pilgrim found himself upset by the song and the occasion. ' (Vonnegut 178) Billy gets hit with a wave of PTSD after seeing a barbershop quartet perform because it reminds him of the four German soldiers that captured him during the war. Another instance of his PTSD is when Billy flashes back to when he was receiving a standing ovation from the Lion’s Club.

The use of symbolism in the novel adds depth and complexity to the story, allowing readers to interpret and analyze the text on multiple levels. Symbolism can be seen in terms such as "poo-tee-weet'' and "mustard gas and roses. '' The bird that witnesses the bombing of Dresden utters these words, ‘’Poo-tee-weet’’ which stand for the senselessness and absurdity of war. " There was nothing going on out there, no traffic of any kind. There was only one vehicle, an abandoned wagon drawn by two horses. The wagon was green and coffin-shaped. The birds were talking. One bird said to Billy Pilgrim, "Poo-tee-weet?" (Vonnegut 215) The two-horse wagon that had been abandoned served as a somber symbol of the lives lost and the families that the senseless war had destroyed. The green coffin-shaped vehicle seemed to mock the fragility of human life, while the birds' chatter served as a reminder of the beauty and innocence that war destroys. Another instance of symbolism is ‘’Mustard Gas and Roses’’ which is a contrast between life and death or can be seen as beauty and destruction. The first time "mustard gas and roses’ is used when Vonnegut is narrating in Chapter 1 is when he talks about what he does when alone at night. He was calling and missing his old war buddy, representing beauty but at the same time