Slaughterhouse Five: Presentation and Essay ideas wanted (Kinda long) (1 Viewer)

[NickSo]

Hey, so as some of you may know, i've read SLAUGHTERHOUSE FIVE by Kurt Vonnegut for my independent novel study for my english class.
By wednesday, i have to do an essay and prepare a presentation for the class, though i have a pretty good idea of what i wanna do, i would appreciate some ideas or constructive criticisms. I've hit a snag though, the book was overdue at the library, and i had to return it, and i also forgot to loan it out today at the school library, so i wont be able to get much work done :frowning:
However, i have done a detailed outline of how my presentation might look like (for the 'tube', im just using a paper tube that posters come in):
http://www3.telus.net/sonick/stuff/s5.html
of course ill have this condensed into note form for the final presentation.
For the essay, im not sure what to write about. I love the whole idea of trafmaldorian time, but its gonna be very hard to write about.
My eng teacher has suggested these topics:
1. Analyze/compare/contrast two or more characters in the novel
-since it mainly only focuses on Billy, i dont think this would be easy
2. Choose a passage and discuss its relevance to the novel as a whole
- THis might be a good idea, i was thinking about the passage about when he as abducted, about the trafmaldorian books, and the WHY ME? thing.
3. Discuss conflict in terms of contributing factors, resolution, and ultimate significance
- Dont know what to write about this
4. Discuss dominant images, symbols, motifs used by the author to support the theme.
- The theme i found was about The Destructiveness of war, and our 'Fate'. Dunno how i could apply the symbols etc. the themes.
5. Find work of art that reflects dominant theme.
- Anybody know any pics that are similar to the book? :p)
6. Discuss main theme of work, how do charactesr/setting/conflicts contribute to developing the theme.
- I could focus on THE DESTRUCTIVENESS OF WAR, and talk about the prisoners/billy as characters, settings would be dresden, but dont know about conflicts. And i dont htink i can write alot about it though. :frowning:
Anybody have any suggestions for one of the six above topics and how i could elaborate on it?
Or even a whole different essay topic that woudl be insightful i could write about.
Thanks, just wanting some outside opinions/suggestions.

 

[Bill Slack]

Here's your art (it works for me, anyway...):
The Scream (or the Cry) - Edvard Munch
(it's also hanging on my wall. A print of it, anyway.)
2, 3 or 4 will be the most interesting thing to write about. You seem most comfortable with 2, so I would just go with that.
Something a very good professor taught me is to come up with your idea, and write about it. Have it be well thought out and well reasoned. But don't try to make it 'right'. It might not come out spectacular or amazing, and it might even seem a little weird or crazy. But it's a lot better than some piece of trash that you overthink, trying to come up with 'correct solution'. Be creative. It's not bullshit, it's thinking!
I don't think 6 would be a very good idea for this book... Now, if you had read Mother Night, that would be a great thing to write about!
Throw in a few 'Listens' do your presentation. At least (hopefully) your teacher will find it amusing. And maybe even someone else will get it...
Boy, do I take an intrest in your education, or what?
Good luck...

 

[NickSo]

Thanks for the reply.
I did some deep thinking for the #2 essay, but the three 'body' ideas that i came up with are very similar, and its like im just going over the same thing over and over again:
- We have no control over our fate
- Things happen against our will
- Events occur because we are just stuck in the moment in time.

I checked out that picture, maybe im not deep enough, i cant htink of ANYHIGNG to relate the book to that picture.
What do you mean by "throw in a few 'listens'"?
Ohwell, my presentation is almost practically done, just gotta review a bit (im pretty good at presentations anyways). Essay i will focus on tomorrow.
Thanks alot, i really appreciate it!

 

[Bill Slack]

The picture stikes me as how Billy feels a lot of the time. It's art, not a photograph. Perhaps it doesn't stike you the same way...
The begining of each chapter of SH5 begians with "Listen:" you could put that in your presentation and see if anyone notices. Just for fun...
Yeah, the three things you listed are pretty much the same thing. You can look at them from different perspectives though. In the book, thinks just happen because he'sthere in that moment of time. But is that true? Is that just because of Billy? Why is he going on this journey? What about the Trafmaldorian? They don't perceive things the same way... but why? How is that better or worse?
There's tons of angles to go at. I have not read it in a few years though, so I won't try to go into any detail...
Be creative about it. Come up with a prepostereous idea, if it suits you. Maybe the Trafmaldorians are nuts... or evil... If you can make a good argument about it, and back it up from the story (somewhat reasonably) then you've got a topic.