Magical Realism is described as the introduction of fantastic or impossible elements into a narrative that is otherwise normal. The use of the Tralfamadorians is an example of the use of magical realism in Slaughterhouse Five. “Billy 's will was paralyzed by a zap gun aimed at him from one of the portholes. It became imperative that he take hold of the bottom rung of the sinuous ladder, which he did” (Vonnegut 76). It would be unrealistic to have aliens actually visit Billy, but their contact serves to reinforce the message that free will does not exist. The Tralfamadorians use a zap gun to freeze his will, suggesting that he originally had free will, which contradicts the message that fate is predetermined. Once he returns home and accepts the Tralfamadorians views, Billy decides that he should take it upon himself to spread the message of the Tralfamadorians (Vonnegut 26). By making the choice to spread the word, Billy’s actions contradict everything he is saying about the lack of free will; he proves that humans do, in fact, have free will. The usage of the Tralfamadorians is a postmodern technique that Vonnegut attempts to use to improve his anti-war message; however, contradictions render this argument
Magical Realism is described as the introduction of fantastic or impossible elements into a narrative that is otherwise normal. The use of the Tralfamadorians is an example of the use of magical realism in Slaughterhouse Five. “Billy 's will was paralyzed by a zap gun aimed at him from one of the portholes. It became imperative that he take hold of the bottom rung of the sinuous ladder, which he did” (Vonnegut 76). It would be unrealistic to have aliens actually visit Billy, but their contact serves to reinforce the message that free will does not exist. The Tralfamadorians use a zap gun to freeze his will, suggesting that he originally had free will, which contradicts the message that fate is predetermined. Once he returns home and accepts the Tralfamadorians views, Billy decides that he should take it upon himself to spread the message of the Tralfamadorians (Vonnegut 26). By making the choice to spread the word, Billy’s actions contradict everything he is saying about the lack of free will; he proves that humans do, in fact, have free will. The usage of the Tralfamadorians is a postmodern technique that Vonnegut attempts to use to improve his anti-war message; however, contradictions render this argument