In 2023, more and more states are challenging the books that students are allowed to read, for issues ranging from violence, sexual material, and LGBTQ+ issues. In the interest of exploring what is leading parents and school districts to attack these books, we have decided to start reviewing these texts to see what they are actually attacking.

For our first review, we are looking at a book that has not only been constantly challenged since its publishing but is also one of a group of books that was challenged this past April by the state of Nebraska: ‘Slaughterhouse-Five’ by Kurt Vonnegut.

‘Slaughterhouse-Five’ is the story of a soldier who survived the bombing of Dresden in WWII. A semi-autobiographical story connecting to Vonnegut’s own experiences during the war, this story jumps around in time with an unreliable narrator who is convinced that he is disconnected from time itself and is reliving the moments that had the largest impact on him, from his childhood and young adulthood, to joining the army and fighting in war, to meeting his wife and having a family. ‘Slaughterhouse-Five’ uses this shifting narrative to keep you on your toes as you experience the violence of war and the monotony of a calm civilian life switching back and forth.

Slaughterhouse has been challenged since its publication nearly, often being censored for its language, sexual themes (of a married couple on their honeymoon as they conceive their children), and violence (showing the horrors of war as men are murdered or die of disease). This matches data found in a study done by Pen America; an organization focusing on literature and human rights as they fight against censorship and book banning. They found that in just 2022, 44% of books that were challenged or outright banned were attacked for “themes or instances of violence and physical abuse”.

Vonnegut’s book is a no-nonsense read that does not sugarcoat the horrors of war and what being a POW in WWII was actually like, calling back to his own experiences as a Private in the army when he was captured and forced to work in a Slaughterhouse in Dresden. Even 2-3 generations removed from the soldiers that actually fought in Europe, it is still important teach younger generations what their ancestors went through to keep history from repeating itself.

It’s worth debating what might be too mature for some readers, but that does not mean something should be outright banned for discussing what war actually was like, as well as the aftereffects of trying to re-assimilate when soldiers returned.