Slaughterhouse Five Final Project(s)

Tralfamadorian Literary Theory Jig Saw Activity Each group will be assigned a chapter 2-10; it will be presented in chronological order Presentations are an opportunity to articulate your observations about your section of the text as both a Tralfamadorian as well as an Earthling. As a Tralfamadorian – look for the “brief, urgent, message” communicated in the “telegram” As an Earthling – contemplate how the “telegram” contributes to a larger picture that is “beautiful and surprising and deep” Essentially, as a group, you are being asked to look at your assigned chapter as both a stand-alone message as well as a part of a larger whole

Tralfamadorian Theories/Philosophy Believe in time travel Do not believe that death is final Believe that all moments exist simultaneously Prefer to ignore the bad and focus on the good Everything is predetermined There is no such thing as free will That have little to no empathy

Slaughterhouse Five CD Project - As part of your final project for SH5, you will make a compilation album/playlist (with a total of 5 tracks) that reflect your analysis of, understanding of, and reaction to the novel. Consider each track as a “brief, urgent, message” about the work. Taken as a whole, the CD should communicate “an image of life [or the book/chapter] that is beautiful surprising and deep.” - The album should have unity and flow (the songs should make sense together and the progression of the songs should create drama). Think beyond plot based connections between the music and the novel to connections related to theme, mood, and tone. - You will design a cover for your album. - You will be required to provide a written explanation that articulates the significance of each song. - You may experiment with style and voice in you explanation. You may use poetry, imagistic language, an informal tone, and other writing techniques that you don’t normally get to use when writing formal essays. However, what you write will need to clearly communicate the connection you perceive between the music and the novel. The fluidity of the assignment is not an excuse to do sloppy work. - If you include quotes from SH5, please include page numbers.

The Trapeze Swinger – Example of Explanation https://www. youtube Similarities between this song and Vonnegut’s description of Tralfamadorain literature are disquietingly abundant. This protracted, hauntingly beautiful composition consists of eight stanzas backed by understated instruments which allow the vocals to take center stage for most of the nine-minute-plus duration of the track. There is no story being told, and no logical progression from one part to the next; each begins with “please, remember me”—consider this the set of stars that separates the alien “telegrams”—and each proceeds in a different direction. Some are anecdotal, some abstract; they describe events past, present, and future, and the concept of time becomes immaterial. They appeal to one’s emotions at various levels of sophistication, and each has a rather vaguely-defined but definitely present theme. I can’t describe it any better than by using Vonnegut’s words: “an image of life that is beautiful and surprising and deep” (112). Consider the stanzas as a whole, like the Tralfamadorians would: you have an intricate, resplendent portrait of the human condition. And is it just me, or does the woodwind solo at 9:00 bear an uncanny resemblance to Vonnegut’s birds’ “poo-tee-weet”?