Comparison and Contrast of Dispatches and Slaughterhouse Five Essay

Comparison and Contrast of Dispatches and Slaughterhouse Five - Essay Example The main similarity of both works is that they are personal stories of soldiers coming through war and battlefields. "Slaughterhouse-Five" is a personal story which reflects Vonnegut's experience in WWII. The story is unique because the author depicts events, experience, time, memories through different frames which do not connected with each other. "Dispatches" by Herr portrays a life of a war correspondent in Viet Nam. Herr mentions "What a story he told me, it took me a year to understand it" (Herr, 1991). His personal narration plays a crucial role in plot development appealing to readers through its simplicity and veracity. Both authors use colorful language means to share the atmosphere of war. For instance, Vonnegut writes: "We had been foolish virgins in the war, right at the end of childhood" (Vonnegut, 1969). Both authors depict that war changed worldviews and emotions of soldiers faced with enormous emotional burden and fears. War is depicted as the time when people feel lack of money as Billy does. Vonnegut shows that after the war-time, Billy bears in mind the importance of wealth and richness seeing the marriage with Valencia as the great opportunity to improve his financial position.