The Portrayal of Free Will vs. Determinism in Slaughterhouse-Five: How the Concept of Fate Influences the Protagonist’s Choices
The Portrayal of Free Will vs. Determinism in Slaughterhouse-Five: How the Concept of Fate Influences the Protagonist’s Choices
In Slaughterhouse-Five, Kurt Vonnegut tackles the philosophical debate between free will and determinism through the experiences of Billy Pilgrim. The novel’s famous refrain, “so it goes,” reflects the deterministic worldview of the Tralfamadorians, the aliens who abduct Billy. According to this belief, all moments in time are fixed, and death, while sad, is inevitable and part of the natural order.
Billy’s repeated experience of being “unstuck in time” suggests a lack of control over his own destiny. Throughout the novel, he passes through different events in his life—his time as a soldier, his marriage, his abduction by the Tralfamadorians—without any sense of agency. The novel seems to suggest that life is a series of events that individuals are powerless to change. As a result, Billy’s struggle with free will and fate becomes central to the novel’s broader anti-war message, as it critiques the idea that war and violence are inevitable.
Through this exploration of determinism, Vonnegut emphasizes the futility of trying to control or change the course of events, particularly in the context of war. By highlighting Billy’s helplessness in the face of fate, Slaughterhouse-Five challenges the reader to question the extent to which individuals can truly shape their own lives.
