Catalin's History as Fiction Blog

Last week in class we discussed the impact of Kevin and Dana's races on the story of Kindred . We also discussed what it would be like if the races were reversed, and how this reversal brings to light many sexist aspects of Kevin and Dana's relationship in the antebellum South. Firstly, I think most people agreed that the story would be incredibly different had the races of Dana and Kevin be reversed. First of all, Dana would not be in the same position she is in every time she travels to early 1800s Maryland, as she would not experience the same dangers as a young white woman that she experiences as a black woman. She would not have to hide and be so cautious about being off of the plantation alone, as she would not have to forge papers saying she is free, she would be automatically respected and aided. Dana would also not have to pretend she is actually a slave to be able to stay with the Weylins and she would not have to do all the work that the slaves have to do in the ho...

Right from the beginning (beginning of the actual story, not the book!) of Slaughterhouse-Five,  Billy Pilgrim is a peculiar character. His narrative voice and lack of emotion seem very out of place in a book that deals with such a sensitive topic such as war. Although these characteristics would be extremely weird for a person in a "normal" universe, Billy Pilgrim is constantly traveling through time which influences his life and the way he experiences different events. It is an interesting choice of Vonnegut's to add this character to his book, as from the first few chapters you get the impression that he is trying to create an anti-war novel. The addition of a complex character with such a complex sub-plot such as Billy's would seemingly take away from the perceived main purpose of Slaughterhouse-Five . Billy's general air of nonchalance and calmness certainly seem weird when his time traveling takes him to places where other people would be the complete oppo...