So first I must say that I responded positively to this book. Kurt Vonnegut's irreverent style, humor and ability to touch on the difficult subject matter of the Dresden bombing with an isolation and separation from reality was quite understandable to me. Sure, I read that the concept of free will versus resigning yourself to fate were main themes of the book and I see that, but I also would add that his experience in Dresden does hold true experience for the author. It was said that he didn't allow the reader to feel the depth of tragedy that was the war and what I say is this- neither will your own mind when you suffer real tragedy.
The brain often protects from atrocity as you live it and I wonder if this is something that deserves to be looked at when viewing Vonnegut's protection of the reader from the true horror of war, though it was present, mentioned and simply moved past. It was not discussed in the book with "normal" human emotion that we would expect, but war is not normal and extraordinary circumstance does not produce "normal" results in humans. What we think we will do and what we actually do during times of horror are two distinct things. It is so easy to sit from a chair and think of what we believe we would feel when confronted by something horrific... The awfulness was there in this book and with the resignation of "so it goes," which followed every mention of death wasn't meant, to me, to belittle tragedy, but to accept that it is and to find a way to continue.
I have more thoughts, there is so much more to say about this book, but I think this is enough currently. I cordially invite any feedback, comments or questions!
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