Billy Pilgrim, a prisoner of war, witnesses Dresden’s firebombing—an event Vonnegut experienced firsthand. The Tralfamadorians, plunger-shaped aliens, abduct Billy, offering a new lens on time and trauma. These aliens’ philosophy provides Billy with a coping mechanism, illustrating how humans process devastation. As Vonnegut poignantly writes, “So it goes.” This refrain echoes throughout the novel, capturing the inevitability of death and the persistence of life.