2025 Reading Challenge discussion

This is the discussion thread for Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut Jr. Chapter 1-3

I have finished the first three chapters. It took me awhile to get into the groove of the book but now I seem to be enjoying it a bit more. I have a feeling I'm going to start saying "So it goes" a lot now.

I took the time to read Vonnegut's biography which helped to get more into the book. I think it is interesting how the war story parallels his own. I'm guessing it was a cathartic experience for him to write this book. The humor is subtle and satiric. I'm not sure it is going to be one of my favorite books but I am enjoying reading it.

Joan wrote: "I have finished the first three chapters. It took me awhile to get into the groove of the book but now I seem to be enjoying it a bit more. I have a feeling I'm going to start saying "So it goes" a..."

I'm sure 'So it goes' is gonna stick wih me too.. Definitely if he keeps repeating it the way till now

Fun fact: "So it goes" appears 106 times

I'm trying to take my time with this book, and I truly feel that it helps having read (or, "attempted-to-read-and-not-truly-gotten-into-it-earlier-in-life)
I appreciate the use of figurative language: the contrast between the seriousness and tragedy of death and war, while on the other hand, the ridiculousness of Billy as a character (view spoiler)[ not only this ridiculous situation of time travel, but not being able to control where and when. But also the description of him "bopping up-and-down, up-and-down" when he walks (hide spoiler)].

Moreover, I've found the anti-war commentaries so interesting The way the narrator strips down this glorified notion of war, by showing the illusion of victory through the taking of staged photos. Another thing, is the emotionlessly, matter-of-fact way it mentions death.

I found the staged photos interesting as well. The ridiculousness does kind of slap you in the face. I'm interested to see how the rest of the book goes. I'll probably at least read chapter 4 tonight.

Just finished the third chapter. It's immediately engaging despite the bouncing around.

It was interesting having the first chapter written in first person ("I...") and then the switch to "Billy" being the main character and us reading the book which Chapter One's character had written. Is Chapter One meant to be Vonnegut's voice? That would make Chapter Two/Three (and presumably onwards) a book within a book?

I'm not sure I'm even making sense!

Tim wrote: "Just finished the third chapter. It's immediately engaging despite the bouncing around.

It was interesting having the first chapter written in first person ("I...") and then the switch to "Billy" ..."

After getting to the second chapter - that's the way I took it. It sounded like the first chapter was Vonnegut's voice. That's when I looked up his biography.

Finished the first three chapters. Not sure how I like it yet...

Another thing, is the emotionlessly, matter-of-fact way it mentions death.

I think almost the whole story so far is pretty emotionless. Even when he's weeping, he's also talking about the Magic Fingers his bed had that jiggled him while he wept.

I like the book so far. One of my favorite quotes is "She celebrated frustration by clapping her hands."

Glad to see people getting started. I love the jolt between chapters one and two. It gives a nice background of the author and sets the tone that this book will have a non-traditional narrative structure. "So it goes" has definitely creeped into my vocabulary, as well. I love the way Vonnegut describes how Tralfamadorians see time:

"All moments, past, present, and future, always have existed, always will exist. The Tralfamadorians can look at all the different moments just the way we can look at a stretch of the Rocky Mountains, for instance. They can see how permanent all the moments are, and they can look at any moment that interests them. It is just an illusion that we have here on Earth that one moment follows another one, like beads on a string, and that once a moment is gone, it is gone forever."

I just finished the first 3 chapters, then came straight here to see what everyone thought so far.

I agree that "So it goes" is kind of catchy. Also, he says it everyone someone dies. So although I laughed a little when I read "so it goes" I also thought about death, and how much there is in war or just in everyday life.

I also noticed that chapter 1 is in 1st person then the next chapter switches to 3rd person. I took it that chapter 2 is the beginning of the book that is written by the chapter 1 narrator. I think he even ends chapter 1 saying the phrase his book starts with, then those same exact words are used to start chapter 2.

Completely late in writing this as I had meant to write a few weeks ago, but the first 3 chapters of this book, for some reason, remind me of Holden Caulfield in The Catcher in the Rye. The narrator almost seems like he could be unreliable, it's hard to tell at this point.

So I finished the first three chapters, and I'm not really sure how to feel about this book yet. The first chapter seemed at times so chaotic and nonsensical, it sounded like a manic person's dialogue. I'm not sure what the point is to talking about all those parts of his life in no particular order, and like he is just stating facts. Is that part of the sarcasm meant to underline the horrific nature of war that is often underrated?
The second chapter was written in a somewhat more linear fashion that I could follow more easily. I take it that Billy is a fictional character, but that some of his story is part of the author's experience? For this book I kind of wish I had a teacher to guide me through this book. I already feel like I am missing out on a joke, because every review says that it is comical.

Uhm, comical? No I didn't find it comical.... But hey, maybe I was in need of a teacher to guide me through the book too?