"I have told my sons that they are not under any circumstances to take part in massacres..." page 19
The narrator is oddly a character in this novel, and this is due to the fact that he discusses the creation of his own novel and its inspiration. The primary method of characterization for the most significant aspect of his character, his anti-war attitude, is indirect. He cautions his own children on the horrors of war and the horrors of the accompanying massacres. He even tells his children to "express contempt to people who think we need machinery like that," referring to machinery manufactured specifically for massacres. Also, the narrator unconventionally calls war a "children's crusade," which is in stark contrast to the traditional idea that soldiers are hardened heroes, honorably fighting for justice. Lastly, we can infer a deep resentment to war by the narrator when he repeatedly says that his experience in Dresden is too unnerving and horrific for words to aptly describe.
I believe the narrator emphasizes idea of of a children's crusade when he describes Billy Pilgrim, who is tall, weak, and not fit for war. He lacks heroic qualities and is often weak willed and ready to give up, as any child would in a war scenario.
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