Chapter 1 - Allusion

        Vonnegut gets right to the point in the first page of his novel through his mentioning of Dresden. Through this allusion, Vonnegut wants the reader to make a connection to this well-known place, foreshadowing the material that will be discussed in the following chapters. His consistent referencing of Dresden allows the reader to understand that Vonnegut expects most people to be somewhat familiar with the events that occured there. "It [Dresden Bombing] wasn't a famous air raid back then in America" (10). This allusion also helps set a solemn tone because, with the mention of it, Vonnegut recalls painful memories from his past. On his return trip to Dresden, Vonnegut noted, "There must be tons of human bone meal in the ground" (1). Vonnegut does express, however, that he is just introducing the subject, and readers will have a clearer understanding of Dresden in later chapters. He stated "i was suppsedly writing about Dresden," (10) to show that Dresden will be the topic of his novel, and he will give readers a clearer understanding as the novel progresses.