Coming Through Slaughter written by Michael Ondaatje tells of Buddy Bolden's descent into his own hell. Ondaatje's novel is full of art and beauty and tells the story of a musician, who was unsurpassed in his time whose work influenced the music of several later generations. It is a story of an artist who struggled to transcend life's miseries and who suffered with despair, madness, loneliness, and the viciousness of life. The novel centers on …showed first 75 words of 2640 total…

…showed last 75 words of 2640 total…own image of how Bolden should live his life with the instinct and consciousness that eventually destroyed him. It is unfortunate that social forces destroyed Bolden. Over the course of the book he went through a tremendous alteration in his character, confused with to whom he should pleased he drove himself into insanity. Right before he took his life, he was able to pleased himself by being his own audience and enjoying his own art.