Slaughterhouse-Five | Ch. 2.3 - Billy Pilgrim: Hero or Numbskull?

Banned Camp: Banned Books, Comedy, and Free Speech vs. Censorship

Send us a text

Hey, Scary Book People! In this episode, we’re reading Chapter 2.3 of Slaughterhouse-Five. Billy Pilgrim is back with more time-traveling chaos, drifting from near-death moments in the woods to hallucinations of ice skating in sweat socks. Meanwhile, Roland Weary continues to cling to his Three Musketeers fantasy—scarves and all.

Along the way, Jennifer and Dan tackle life’s big questions: Why would anyone invent floating toilets? What happened to girdles? And how do you even survive being thrown into a pool as a kid? Spoiler alert: Billy might not have figured it out either.

Things To Listen For:

• Billy Pilgrim’s steering wheel fiasco—and why it wasn’t stolen (but he thought it was).
• Roland Weary’s scarf collection: a fashion statement or a red flag?
• Jennifer’s take on the “good ol’ days” (spoiler: they involved a lot of meth).
• The Three Musketeers’ unexpected breakup—and why Billy was never a member.

Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts:
Love what you're hearing? Show your support by rating, reviewing, and following us on Apple Podcasts. Your feedback helps us keep the laughs—and the banned books—coming!

Featured Clips:
This episode features a snippet from "Aunt Bee" by The Liberty Photoshop Crew. All rights and copyrights are the property of their respective owners and are used here for entertainment and educational purposes under fair use guidelines. No copyright infringement intended.

Disclaimer:
Banned Camp features readings and discussions of banned books for the purpose of criticism, commentary, education, and entertainment in accordance with fair use guidelines. The material used from the book Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut is shared under these principles, with the intent of provoking thought and discussion about literature, censorship, and societal issues. We do not claim any ownership over the original work, and all copyrights remain with the original copyright holder. We strongly encourage listeners to purchase copies of the discussed works to appreciate them in their original context fully.

This podcast is not endorsed by Kurt Vonnegut, his estate, or the publishers of Slaughterhouse-Five. Any monetization of the podcast is separate and not derived directly from the copyrighted material discussed.

Topics Covered:
floating toilets, girdles, Billy Pilgrim, time travel, hallucinations, Three Musketeers, Roland Weary, snow-bound conflict, book banning