Slaughterhouse-Five Chapter 9 Post 2 of 2

     Vonnegut, the opinionated and political author that he is, fills his novel with his ideas and subliminal messages to his readers through his symbolism. In chapter nine, he makes a point that I find myself in agreement. The character Professor Rumfoord does not want to hear Billy's account of having been in the bombing and war in Dresden because he does not want to hear the negative and grim account that Pilgrim will recall. When this historian refuses this account, it makes us realize that our conception of what happens in history is shaped by the people who record the accounts. In the novel, people do not know of the horrific loss of civilians in Dresden and this little worm professor will keep it that way. Vonnegut presses this fact up to our mind's in this chapter, and it makes sense. Granted, with modern technology now the facts are more accessible; however, true facts back then and now are lost in the filters and political egos of writers. Ten times out of ten I would rather hear Billy Pilgrim's honest account.