Slaughterhouse Five

"If you know this," said Billy, "isn't there some way you can prevent it? Can't you keep the pilot from pressing the button?"
"He has always pressed it, and he always will. We always let him and always will let him. The moment is structured that way."
(117, Ed. Bantam)


This conversation takes place when Billy Pilgrim is displayed in the zoo in Tralfamadore: Billy asks the zoo guide how they manage to live in peace on Tralfamadore while new wars constantly break out on Earth. Billy thinks that the violence associated with planet Earth might threaten the safety and survival of the whole Universe. However, the Tralfamadorian explains that they know how the Universe ends and that Earth does not play a part in it.

Billy Pilgrim does not really understand why the Tralfamadorians can't stop the end of the Universe when they know precisely when, where and how it is going to happen. Indeed, for human beings, it would be natural to try to prevent it and, when you know all these details, it seems rather easy to do. However, the guide explains that this would be completely useless as these events are bound to happen, no matter what. It reinforces the fact that Tralfamadorians do no believe in free will, as they say at the end of chapter 4: "Only on Earth is there any talk of free will". The theory here is that everything is "written" in advance: your future is already chosen for you and no matter what you do and what decision you make, you will follow the path that you are supposed to follow. And this works for each individual, as well as for the whole Universe. Therefore, free will does not exist. Everything is predetermined, you are powerless in the face of fate.

Q: How would you react if someone tells you that there is no such thing as free will?