View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does the author compare the march of American prisoners to?

2. What is Billy's position in the war?

3. Who rescues Billy from being beaten by Roland Weary?

4. What did Vonnegut study in college?

5. What question does the Frenchman ask about the Grand Canyon?

Short Essay Questions

1. When does Billy Pilgrim first experience being unstuck in time?

2. Why do the Tralfamadorans not believe in free will?

3. What is unusual about the way Tralfamadorans view time?

4. Where does Billy time travel to when the spaceship hits a time warp?

5. How does Billy describe the Tralfamadorans?

6. Why does Vonnegut say this book will be "jumbled and jangled?"

7. What parts of Ilium remind Billy of the ruined towns in World War II?

8. What happened to the army scouts who left Billy and Roland behind?

9. How did Billy finally get some sleep?

10. What did Kurt Vonnegut learn about the bombing of Dresden when he wrote to the Air Force for details?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Roland Weary can be said to personify the typical American war hero, while Billy Pilgrim is anything but. Write an essay comparing these two characters. Which is more heroic?

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay comparing Slaughterhouse-Five with another novel or book describing events from World War II. Pick one of the following topics as a focus in your essay:

a) Realism about the war.

b) Symbolism.

c) How personal experiences affect writing.

d) The author's attitude toward war.

Essay Topic 3

Write a personal essay, explaining your view of death and/or the afterlife. Describe the basis of your views. Did they come from your family, your religion, popular culture, or from a specific source?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 546 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample