Kurt Vonnegut – Plays the function of himself in the first chapter, as he tries to acquire a clasp on the Dresden book he feels the demand to compose. Appears on occasion in Billy Pilgrim ’ s narrative as a reminder that he was so at that place. Besides appears once more at the terminal, when he returns to Dresden as a tourer.
Billy Pilgrim – Pacifistic, wimpy, and passive-natured chief character in Vonnegut ’ s Dresden narrative. By and large seen as a pilgrim in his ain haunted yesteryear, from which he returns with a message of goodness for all to hear. The firebombing of Dresden has a terrible affect on him, for he is plagued with the inquiry – In what sort of universe is such a thing possible? Through Billy ’ s battles and through his disenchantment, we are forced to witness along with him the ferociousnesss of war.
Roland Weary – As his name suggests, Weary is tired of war. He is a typical hardcore soldier, ever on responsibility. He isn ’ t good liked by anyone, particularly his lookouts, who are invariably seeking to ditch him. Because of this, he is ever fantasying about epic war narratives and great friendly relationships ( i.e. the Three Musketeers ) , and he besides needs a sense of security in instance he is ditched. This is why he picks up Billy Pilgrim, so that he will hold person to ditch excessively. He dies with merely one wish – that Paul Lazarro kill Billy Pilgrim.
Paul Lazarro – A awful character with a gustatory sensation for blood. Roland Weary ’ s merely true friend, with whom he portions the function of gross outing castaway. Lazarro is thought to be a gangster exterior of the war and ever has his head on retaliation. Therefore, when Roland Weary dies, Paul Lazarro focuses his attendings on killing Billy Pilgrim.
Edgar Derby – An older soldier, who is likely excessively old to be contending. We know from the beginning that he is doomed to decease before a fire squad for stealing a teapot, so his kindness throughout the book is bittersweet. When the nazis attempt to acquire the American captives to exchange sides, Derby delivers a traveling address on American ideals and freedom.
Valencia Pilgrim – Billy ’ s unattractive and insensitive married woman, who he married for the exclusive ground that there was no ground non to. He checks into a mental infirmary after suggesting to her, for he sees her as a “ symptom of his disease ” . However, she adores Billy, and in the terminal she dies in a auto wreck while madly seeking to see Billy in the infirmary.
Barbara Pilgrim – Billy ’ s girl, who is irritated by her life ’ s fortunes, which she blames on her male parent. She barely had clip to put up a household of her ain when Billy about dies in a plane clang and Valencia dies in a auto wreck. Not merely that, but when Billy comes place, he ’ s doddering and makes a express joying stock of himself and of Barbara.
Tralfmadorians – Science fiction foreigners who can see in four dimensions. This allows them to see all of clip at one time, so they have no fright of the hereafter or of decease. Their nonsubjective position towards human behaviour gives Vonnegut an mercantile establishment for his ain sentiments on human nature. They give Billy peace of head and present him to Montana Wildhack.
Montana Wildhack – Billy Pilgrim ’ s fantasy adult female and symbolic Eve. On the planet Tralfmadore, he wants to reinvent the human race by functioning every bit Adam to her Eve, so he behaves as he believes Adam and Eve should.
Eliot Rosewater – Another disillusioned American who lost all religion in American righteousness when he discovered that he had killed a German fireman who was seting out a fire started by an American bomber. After seting himself in a mental establishment, he meets Billy Pilgrim and introduces him to his exclusive solace in life: the scientific discipline fiction novels of Kilgore Trout.
Kilgore Trout – A scientific discipline fiction novelist with good thoughts and awful authorship manner. His novels, nevertheless, provide Billy Pilgrim with phantasy universes to woolgather in and besides let Vonnegut to do merriment of many values that Americans hold so beloved.
Howard W. Campbell, Jr. – American Nazi propagandist who tries to enroll Americans from Billy ’ s POW cantonment to his ain Free American Corps. Edgar Derby puts him in his topographic point with an inspirational and traveling address.
Mary O ’ Hare – Real adult female and married woman of Vonnegut ’ s war brother Bernard O ’ Hare. Harbors a great hatred toward war, and reminds Vonnegut that wars are non fought by mature, grown work forces, but by “ babes ” . Serves as his inspiration for composing the book.
Bernard O ’ Hare – Vonnegut ’ s merely existent war brother. Vonnegut returns to him to reminisce about the war, but finds Bernard is a dominated hubby who hates the war excessively much to desire to speak about it. Vonnegut returns to Dresden with O ’ Hare in 1967.
