ght him to swim by the "sink-or-swim" method (Vonnegut, 44). Another time, he and his family went out to see the Grand Canyon. "As he was looking over the edge his mother touched him, and he wet his pants" (Vonnegut, 89). The third experience he mentioned was when his family was touring a cave, he was very scared and then the tour guide asked everyone to turn off all their lights and it was pitch black except for his fathers pocket watch (Vonnegut, 89). These experiences showed through Vonnegut's novel.
             Probably the strongest theme in the novel is "so it goes" (Vonnegut, 6); Vonnegut has seen people use patriotism as an excuse for mass murder. In his novel this happens. An example would be Howard W. Campbell, who in the novel defends the Dresden raid (Vonnegut, 62); this character was based on someone Kurt really knows. A lot of the characters are people Kurt really knows or based on people that that has made and impression on him. He does know someone that is threatening to kill his personal enemies after the war; in the novel this reflects Paul Lazzaro. Kurt also knows a man that was shot for taking a teapot. This is a reflection of poor Edgar Derby; Edgar was mostly in the story because of his death. Bernard O'Hare is Vonnegut's friend that he goes to visit to help think of memories to write about in his novel (Vonnegut, 11). He writes about this in his novel and about meeting his wife who is upset that he is writing it because she thinks it will be a pro war novel and star Frank Sinatra and John Wayne. He assures her that it will not be and even dedicates the novel to her (Vonnegut, 12). Gerhard Muller was a taxi driver that became friends with Bernard and Kurt as they were driving to the Slaughter House where they were held. This novel was also dedicated to him (Vonnegut, 1).
             In Slaughterhouse-Five Vonnegut talks about himself in a couple of places. The ...