Kurt Vonnegut explores aspects and influences of families throughout Slaughterhouse-Five, specifically Billy's childhood, his adult family, and the family of Edger Derby. Families, though not always visibly, are a major influence to each of the different round characters in the story. Vonnegut's views and knowledge of anthropology are expressed through the characters; families and other small social communities are essential to the growth and development of a human being. Billy is unable to produce emotions and have typical social interactions with people because of his rough childhood.…
