In the novel Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut, we are taken through the strange life of Mr. Billy Pilgrim. The story primarily revolves around Billy's time in Germany during World War II, but also several other moments in Billy's life. What the reader will immediately notice is the strange order of events in the novel which is quickly explained by Billy Pilgrim being "unstuck in time". This could very well be the first indication [MK1] that something is wrong with our protagonist and, as we read, we can notice equally alarming indicators such as Billy's seemingly hopeless outlook on life [MK2], his inability to discuss death and his subsequent abduction by the aliens he calls Tralfmadorians. It doesn't take long to come to the conclusion that Billy is suffering from some sort of mental illness, perhaps attributed to the war. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay After further analysis of the novel and a psychiatric examination of Billy's mental state, some claim that Billy suffers from an acute form of post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD. This position is defended by writer Susanne Vees-Gulani in her article "Diagnosing Billy Pilgrim: A Physiatrist Approach to Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse-Five" in which she states "...the diagnostic criteria for PTSD help to explain and summarize the different facets of Billy syndrome. state of mind in the novel. She argues that the trauma of witnessing the bombing of Dresden and being held captive as a prisoner of war led Billy to develop a tumultuous mental state of internal suffering. His alleged invention of the planet Tralfmadore and his adoption of their philosophy all indicate his inability to cope with the trauma he feels as a result of the war. Many other eminent physiatrists and psychologists as well as literature scholars have come to agree with this diagnosis. Perhaps the possibility that Billy is suffering from some sort of PTSD-like affliction is rather obvious when one is familiar with the illness. However, what is not entirely clear are the causes and effects of his condition, whatever it may be. Although many researchers, such as Susanne Vees-Gulani, suggest that Billy's condition was a direct result of his participation in the war, others argue that his trauma began much earlier in his life. Writer Kevin Brown attributes much of Billy's mental and emotional problems to aspects of his childhood. He cites two specific scenes from the novel, firstly the one where Billy's father throws him into the deep end of the pool to try to teach him how to swim and secondly the one where his father takes him to the edge of the Grand Canyon. Both of these moments highlight somewhat traumatic experiences for Billy, particularly the pool incident which he says "was like an execution." Perhaps even more damaging than these isolated events is the very nature of his relationship with his parents. Throughout the novel, we get glimpses of his parents, but nothing in detail. Brown argues that despite this limited look at Billy's parents, there is "no depiction of familial affection" and almost every mention of them is something negative. [MK3] It is this lack of relationship and meaningful connection with people, even significant others like his parents, that creates the feeling of unfettered isolation that permeates all of Billy's life. As Brown points out: "Because Billy didn't get the love he needed as a child, he.. 2015.