Stylistic choice used by Kurt Vonnegut in service of the book... The Authors Lack of Displaying Emotion
KURT VONNEGUT DISPLAYS AN OBVIOUS LACK OF EMOTION THROUGHOUT HIS NARRATIVE OF BILLY PILGRIM, IN ORDER TO CONVEY BILLY'S NUMBNESS TO HIS OWN FEELINGS, LIKE PAIN OR LOSS, AS A RESULT OF HIS EXPERIENCES BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER WORLD WAR 2
KURT VONNEGUT DISPLAYS AN OBVIOUS LACK OF EMOTION THROUGHOUT HIS NARRATIVE OF BILLY PILGRIM, IN ORDER TO CONVEY BILLY'S NUMBNESS TO HIS OWN FEELINGS, LIKE PAIN OR LOSS, AS A RESULT OF HIS EXPERIENCES BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER WORLD WAR 2
Throughout the book Kurt Vonnegut explains many events that the main character, Billy Pilgrim experienced, both minor and major. The author utilizes character description and analysis in order to show the thought process of Billys mind and his reasoning for his actions or lack there of... It's also noticeable that Vonnegut may be portraying Billy Pilgrim as his own alter ego, having been to the war himself. Billy lacks not only emotional reactions to his experiences, but a missing purpose in his own life too, well up until his alien encounter. Billy Pilgrims mental state is broken, hence his inability to react to certain things like the death of a close friend and through everything that happens to him, it all tends to affect him emotionally, less and less. Because of his PTSD, "time traveling" and "alien encounters" are used as a coping mechanism when Billy is unable to face reality. Billy's persona and the chaos of his mind and life, is shown in subject of the theme that war has a lasting effect and damage on those who experience the darkest parts of it, to the point that Billy is no longer emotionally attached to reality, and death to him has become natural, and expected, rather than tragic.
"How nice -- to feel nothing and still get full credit for being alive"
-Kurt Vonnegut