There are subtle clues that lead me to believe there is some parallel between the two individuals. The initial introduction where Trout is described as a "science-fiction writer" relates to Vonnegut, as we know by the very novel we read from (166). Trout also writes novels about ghastly tales which include "burning jellied gasoline on human beings" (168). As we read this novel, we can't help but notice many heinous situations like the ones in Trout's writing. Vonnegut writes that "candles and the soap were made from the fat of rendered Jews and Gypsies" (96), a dog being fed "steak" with a "cut up with pieces of spring" (139), and about his wife dying of "carbon-monoxide poisoning" (25). These two individuals are both far from being afraid to allude towards these detestable situations. But the main piece of evidence I gathered was the line when the novel reads that "Trout's unpopularity was deserved" because "his prose was frightful. Only his ideas were good" (110). This brings me back to Vonnegut's seemingly odd style of writing, but his fascinating ideas and concepts (war, time travel, aliens, etc.).
Do you believe there is a parallel here? What other evidence supports this? Where else can we see the author, Kurt Vonnegut, throughout the novel?
Now that I think about it, that makes a lot of sense! It does seem like Vonnegut could be pretty self deprecating, such as on page 22 when he said of his book (well, technically the narrator said it), "this one is a failure, and had to be, since it was written by a pillar of salt." Maybe Vonnegut did see himself as an author like Kilgore, whose books were "failures." Vonnegut's book, like Kilgore's, conveyed meaningful messages in an untraditional way.
ReplyDeleteI would echo that thought process Chloe. I Did some research on Vonnegut and I got the impression that he had been failing as a writer like Trout. At the time that Slaughterhouse Five came out, he had written eight books (Not as many as Trout had written, but still a big number) all of which seemed to not have done well. I'd assume at the point of writing this book, he probably thought of himself in this manner. Also, I stumbled upon some of his other books, which seem to have characters from Slaughterhouse in them, so it would be interesting to check them out and see if there is more information about Kilgore, as well as more parallels.
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