Alienation refers to the difficulty in forming connections with others and integrating into society. Billy Pilgrim exemplifies profound alienation. His state of being "unstuck in time" hinders his ability to have continuous experiences, which are essential for building relationships. While Billy's time travel is a literal science fiction concept, it also represents the alienation and dislocation resulting from devastating events like World War II. For Vonnegut and numerous modern authors, such violence is a fundamental aspect of twentieth-century existence. Interestingly, Billy's most significant relationship in the novel is with Kilgore Trout, a fellow science fiction writer who is also deeply alienated: "He and Billy were dealing with similar crises in similar ways. They had both found life meaningless, partly because of what they had seen in the war."