Kurt Vonnegut
Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. is a contemporary American author whose works have been described by Richard Giannone as "comic masks covering the tragic farce that is our contemporary life" (Draper, 3784). Vonnegut's life has had a number of significant influences on his works. Influences from his personal philosophy, his life and experiences, and his family are evident elements in his works. Among his "comic masks" are three novels: Cat's Cradle, The Sirens of Titan, and God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater. Throughout these novels, elements such as attitude, detail, narrative technique, setting, and theme can be viewed with more understanding when related to certain aspects of his life. These correlations are best examined in terms of each influence.
One of the most significant influences from Vonnegut's life on his personal philosophy has been his participation in World War II. During the war, Vonnegut served in the American army in Europe and was captured by German soldiers. As a prisoner of war, he witnessed the Allied bombing of the city of Dresden, in which more than 135,000 people died due to the resulting fires (Draper, 3785). This experience had a profound impact on Vonnegut. From it, he developed his existential personal philosophy and his ideas about the evils of technology. He states, "I am the enemy of all technological progress that threatens mankind" (Nuwer, 39). The influence of Dresden shows up in each of the novels.
In Cat's Cradle, one element of his experience at Dresden that Vonnegut portrays is his fear of technology. Initially, the intention of the story is for the narrator to write about what the scientists who invented the atomic bomb were doing the day it was dropped on Hiroshima. To this effect, one of the scientists in the story said, "Science has now known sin," to which another replied, "What is sin?" (Vonnegut, Cradle, 21). The focus on technology quickly changes to a material called ice-nine, which has the ability to freeze water at room temperature. This technological breakthrough, by a scientist who worked on developing the atomic bomb, has the ability to destroy the world by freezing all its water. Even though the people with ice-nine are very careful all through the plot, they lose control of it in the end and the world becomes frozen. With ice-nine, Vonnegut thematically demonstrates how relatively simple technolog...
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Bibliography:
Draper, James P., editor. "Kurt Vonnegut, Jr." World Literature Criticism: 1500 to the Present. 1992 ed.
"Existentialism." Microsoft Bookshelf '94. (CDROM) N.p.: Microsoft Corporation, 1994.
"Kurt Vonnegut, Jr." Concise Dictionary of American Literary Biography: Broadening Views, 1968-1988. 1989 ed.
Mantell, Harold, producer. Kurt Vonnegut: A Self Portrait. Films for the Humanities, Inc. 1975.
Nuwer, Hank. "Kurt Vonnegut Close Up." The Saturday Evening Post. May/June 1986. pp. 3839.
Reed, Peter J. Writers for the 70's: Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. U.S.A. Warner Books, Inc. 1972.
Streitfeld, David. "Vonnegut, Existentially Speaking." Washington Post (DC) 29 August 1991. Newsbank, People, 1991, fiche 36, grid C13.
Vonnegut, Kurt, Jr. Cat's Cradle. New York. Dell Publishing Co., Inc. 1963.
"Vonnegut, Kurt, Jr." Discovering Authors. (CDROM) N.p.: Gale Research, Inc., 1993.
Vonnegut, Kurt, Jr. God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater. New York. Dell Publishing Co., Inc. 1965.
Vonnegut, Kurt, Jr. The Sirens of Titan. New York. Dell Publishing Co., Inc. 1959.
Wakeman, John, editor. "Vonnegut, Kurt (Jr.)." World Authors 1950-1970. 1975 ed.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that kurt vonnegut, jr. is a contemporary american author, whose works have been described by richard giannone as "comic masks covering the tragic farce that is our contemporary life."
- Analyzes how vonnegut's participation in world war ii had a profound impact on his personal philosophy and his ideas about the evils of technology.
- Analyzes how vonnegut portrays his fear of technology in cat's cradle. the focus on technology quickly changes to ice-nine, which has the ability to destroy the world by freezing all its water.
- Explains that kurt vonnegut, jr. is a contemporary american author, whose works have been described by richard giannone as "comic masks covering the tragic farce that is our contemporary life."
- Analyzes how vonnegut's participation in world war ii had a profound impact on his personal philosophy and his ideas about the evils of technology.
- Analyzes how vonnegut portrays his fear of technology in cat's cradle. the focus on technology quickly changes to ice-nine, which has the ability to destroy the world by freezing all its water.
- Analyzes how cat's cradle is an excellent example of vonnegut’s existentialism, which emphasizes the uniqueness and isolation of the individual experience in an indifferent universe.
- Analyzes how vonnegut's existential philosophy takes the form of a religion in the sirens of titan.
- Analyzes how god bless you, mr. rosewater exhibits elements of vonnegut's take on technology and existentialism in plot and theme.
- Analyzes how kurt vonnegut expresses existential concepts through the compassion of one man for people who feel no self-value. his mother's suicide, places from his life, and his careers influence his writing.
- Analyzes how vonnegut's mother killed herself with sleeping pills while he was in germany during world war ii.
- Opines that suicide has always been a temptation to them, since their mother solved so many problems with it. the child of suicide thinks of death as logical solution to any problem, even one in simple algebra.
- Analyzes how vonnegut made a suicide attempt in 1984, using sleeping pills and alcohol. some one found and saved him, and he adds in his usual tone of slight bemusement.
- Analyzes how fred rosewater's indifferent perspective on suicide appears in god bless you, mr.
- Analyzes how vonnegut uses locations from his life in cat's cradle and in god bless you, mr. rosewater.
- Analyzes how kurt vonnegut used his various experiences as a writer to create the narrator for cat's cradle. he also includes writers in the sirens of titan and god bless you, mr.
- Analyzes how vonnegut's family has played a role in influencing his writing. his brother and sister have had some effects on his work.
- Analyzes how vonnegut's brother, kurt, was a successful chemist, so he studied chemistry at cornell university. he used his scientific knowledge to describe the fictitious substance ice-nine.
- Analyzes how vonnegut's sister, who died at age 40, has had a different influence on his writing. she is the perfect reader whom he writes for.
- Analyzes how kurt vonnegut's writings owe a lot to influences from his life.
- Explains draper's "kurt vonnegut, jr." world literature criticism: 1500 to the present. microsoft bookshelf 1994.
- Narrates how kurt vonnegut's close up was published in the saturday evening post, may/june 1986.
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- The Satire of Vonnegut's Cat's Cradleanalytical essayMeeter, Glenn. "Vonnegut's Formal and Moral Otherworldliness: Cat's Cradle and Slaughterhouse-Five," in Jerome Klinkowitz & John Somer (eds.), The Vonnegut Statement. USA: Delacourte Press/ Seymour Lawrence, 1973, 204-220.
In this essay, the author
- Opines that kurt vonnegut's satirical commentary on modern man and his madness is the most highly praised novel by barnes and noble.
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- Explains giannone, richard. vonnegut: a preface to his novels. port washington/london: kennikat press, 1977.
- Opines that kurt vonnegut's satirical commentary on modern man and his madness is the most highly praised novel by barnes and noble.
- Analyzes how kurt vonnegut uses satire to design the government of san lorenzo.
- Explains giannone, richard. vonnegut: a preface to his novels. port washington/london: kennikat press, 1977.
- Explains meeter, glenn, "vonnegut's formal and moral otherworldliness: cat’s cradle and slaughterhouse-five."
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1004 wordsRead More - Behind Vonnegut Lies A Curtain Analysisanalytical essayKurt Vonnegut Jr. was an ordinary man, a great father and an extraordinary writer. He was born in indianapolis Indiana. As a fourth generation German-American, he would later serve in the Second World War. He had the capability to include spaceships,vulgarity, and childish characteristics while still causing his readers to learn crucial life lessons. Yet the most interesting thing is what was behind his curtain. It is what captivated, intrigued, and how he analyzed the Midwestern region that would eventually differentiate him from other authors. Kurt Vonnegut was inspired by technological advances, the effects of WWII, and humanity.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that kurt vonnegut jr. was an ordinary man, a great father and an extraordinary writer. he was inspired by technological advances, the effects of wwii, and humanity.
- Explains that the 1920's are also known as the roaring twenties in american history. the midwestern region prospered under machinery advancements in everyday life.
- Analyzes how kurt jr.'s depression made his family penniless, and the cold war dominated his midwestern life. the arms race left a taste of syfy on many of his works.
- Explains that kurt vonnegut jr. was an ordinary man, a great father and an extraordinary writer. he was inspired by technological advances, the effects of wwii, and humanity.
- Explains that the 1920's are also known as the roaring twenties in american history. the midwestern region prospered under machinery advancements in everyday life.
- Analyzes how kurt jr.'s depression made his family penniless, and the cold war dominated his midwestern life. the arms race left a taste of syfy on many of his works.
- Analyzes how the allied strategy had shifted toward the end of world war ii. they decided to span out bombings throughout the german nation and began with a culturally filled city named dresden.
- Analyzes how vonnegut was an adamant pacifist who was troubled by the glorification brought upon the war. billy pilgrim was broken after the second world war.
- Analyzes how vonnegut loved humanity. he accepted that there were series of events that people could not control, and also understood how it could define them. kurt took this point of view since his mother killed herself in indiana.
- Analyzes how vonnegut found similar qualities throughout the midwest, but it was indiana that he loved. indiana had a rich complex history in its short time of existence.
- Opines that kurt vonnegut was inspired by the midwest as any other midwesterner. he went back to his roots from the midwest to confirm or reflect on his beliefs.
875 wordsRead More - Effective Use of Irony and Satire in Cat's Cradleanalytical essay...s. Vonnegut points out truth in the small diversionsof life like the Boko-maru while pointing out the absurdity and falsehood of the large diversions.
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- Analyzes kurt vonnegut's satire on the state of world affairs in the 1960s. the main character, the narrator, is the most likely candidate for a hero in every story.
- Analyzes how vonnegut's writing style throughout the novel is flip, light, and sarcastic. the narrator travels through the plot of the story, with characters flying in and out, in almost a daze.
- Analyzes how the narrator's lack of control on events brings up the main theme of the story, which is embodied in a fictitious religion invented by vonnegut, bokononism.
- Analyzes kurt vonnegut's satire on the state of world affairs in the 1960s. the main character, the narrator, is the most likely candidate for a hero in every story.
- Analyzes how vonnegut's writing style throughout the novel is flip, light, and sarcastic. the narrator travels through the plot of the story, with characters flying in and out, in almost a daze.
- Analyzes how the narrator's lack of control on events brings up the main theme of the story, which is embodied in a fictitious religion invented by vonnegut, bokononism.
- Analyzes how vonnegut builds up his theme of the pointlessness of life with the aid of satire.
- Analyzes the irony of the government of san lorenzo, a small island nation in the caribbean.
- Analyzes the irony of the bokononist practice of boko-maru in cat's cradle.
- Analyzes how the destruction of the world by ice-nine showed vonnegut's tendency towards this pessimistic view of world.
867 wordsRead More - Kurt Vonnegut's "Slaughterhouse-Five"analytical essay"Vonnegut, Kurt, Jr. 1922 Criticism: Critical Essay by Joyce Carol Oates on Kurt Vonnegut Summary." BookRags.com: Book Summaries, Study Guides. Thompson Corporation. Web. 05 Jan. 2010. .
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- Analyzes how vonnegut's background had an endless influence upon his writing. he was a private in the 106th infantry division in world war ii and witnessed the fire-bombing of dresden in 1945.
- Analyzes how the story begins with vonnegut writing in first person and is set in 1968. billy spends most of 1944-1945 in germany in the war.
- Analyzes how vonnegut, the narrator, explains his relations to the war and his experiences in dresden. the rest of the book is in third person omniscient.
- Analyzes how vonnegut's background had an endless influence upon his writing. he was a private in the 106th infantry division in world war ii and witnessed the fire-bombing of dresden in 1945.
- Analyzes how the story begins with vonnegut writing in first person and is set in 1968. billy spends most of 1944-1945 in germany in the war.
- Analyzes how vonnegut, the narrator, explains his relations to the war and his experiences in dresden. the rest of the book is in third person omniscient.
- Analyzes the destructiveness of a massacre in vonnegut's book. the narrator is trying to get the point across that there is nothing good to say about it.
- Analyzes how the tralfamadorians know that free will is an illusion, and humans mistakenly think they can make their own decisions because they only see in third dimension.
- Analyzes how billy is dealing with post-traumatic stress caused by the war. he witnessed and experienced so many traumatizing things that the rest of his life was affected by it.
- Narrates how billy pilgrim grows up to be a gangly, awkward man, though he does exceptionally well in high school. he is drafted into the army and deployed to the battle of bulge.
- Describes how roland weary, a selfish, glory-seeking man that saved billy's life, dies and asks paul lazzaro to kill billy. they then travel to dresden, where they processed malt syrup.
- Describes how billy returns to ilium, finishes optometry school, and gets engaged to the owner of the school's daughter. after having another nervous breakdown, he admits himself to a mental institution and marries valencia.
- Analyzes how billy returns to ilium, where he finds the time suitable to tell the world of his experiences and his knowledge.
- Analyzes vonnegut's failure to write the novel, his sense of despair, and conviction that it is a lousy novel.
- Explains kurt vonnegut's book, "slaughterhouse-five book notes summary," on wikipedia.
- Analyzes the critical essay by joyce carol oates on kurt vonnegut's summary.
1327 wordsRead More - The Life and Writings of Kurt Vonnegutanalytical essayFarrell, Susan. Critical Companion to Kurt Vonnegut: A Literary Reference to his Life and Work. New York, NY: Facts on File Press, 2008.
In this essay, the author
- Argues that vonnegut advocated for peace and morality despite the increasing condition of moral decadence in the current world.
- Explains that vonnegut started writing during his studies at shortridge high school and was employed as a reporter by the chicago city news bureau.
- Explains that vonnegut was employed as a public relations writer by the general electric research laboratory in 1947 after moving to schenectady in new york.
- Argues that vonnegut advocated for peace and morality despite the increasing condition of moral decadence in the current world.
- Explains that vonnegut started writing during his studies at shortridge high school and was employed as a reporter by the chicago city news bureau.
- Explains that vonnegut was employed as a public relations writer by the general electric research laboratory in 1947 after moving to schenectady in new york.
- Explains that vonnegut faced several challenges in the 1960s, especially in relation to his work. his short stories were facing stiff competition from the television broadcasts; his teaching career encouraged him to reconsider devoting much of his time to scientific-fictions.
- Analyzes how vonnegut's writings were based on his personal experiences, such as his novel slaughterhouse-five, which depicts the dreadfulness of technological advancement in the military.
- Explains that vonnegut is among the most admired science-fiction writers in the 20th century. his work, though blended with humor, recounts the daily socioeconomic circumstances and his personal experiences in that period.
- Describes farrell's critical companion to kurt vonnegut: a literary reference to his life and work.
- Analyzes how kurt vonnegut's literary works have had varied impacts on american culture, including the use of the word "karass" among college students and the naming of pop groups "ice nine kills".
- Analyzes how vonnegut believed that postmodern novelists should talk about technology since it forms a fundamental aspect of american life. his dissenting views on technological advancement are illustrated in his literary works.
- Explains that kurt vonnegut's forefathers were well-educated and talented musicians, traders, educators, and bureaucrats, who were mostly atheists and freethinkers.
2232 wordsRead More - Kurt Vonnegutopinion essayKurt Vonnegut is one of the greatest pacifist writers in the world, although criticized by many he still tries to get his message across to the public. Kurt Vonnegut has written many novels in his lifetime the most well known is Slaughterhouse Five, which tells of his experiences somewhat in World War Two. Throughout all his novels he seems to keep the same “recurring Vonnegut theme is the evil that occurs when technology is allowed by man to run rampant. I am the enemy of all technological progress that threatens mankind.”(Saturday Evening Post, May/June 86 pg. 38)
In this essay, the author
- Opines that kurt vonnegut is one of the greatest pacifist writers in the world, although criticized by many he still tries to get his message across to the public.
- Explains that kurt vonnegut was born on november 11th, in indianapolis, indiana, into a family where the father was an architect.
- Explains how the great depression, his parents dying, being captured in the war, and the death of his 41-year-old sister had affected his life and led him to mock society in years to come.
- Opines that kurt vonnegut is one of the greatest pacifist writers in the world, although criticized by many he still tries to get his message across to the public.
- Explains that kurt vonnegut was born on november 11th, in indianapolis, indiana, into a family where the father was an architect.
- Explains how the great depression, his parents dying, being captured in the war, and the death of his 41-year-old sister had affected his life and led him to mock society in years to come.
- Analyzes how vonnegut's first novel, player piano, makes fun of an electric company that sacrifices humanity for technology. his personal experiences motivate him to either mock society or warn them if they are not careful.
- Opines that kurt vonnegut has long been called a science fiction writer but insists he is not. he preaches that society will destroy itself if technology is going the way it is.
577 wordsRead More - Kurt Vonnegut Legacyexplanatory essayKurt Vonnegut was an American writer born in 1922. Throughout his career he was primarily known as a satirical writer and often delved into elements of fantasy and science fiction. In the 1950s Vonnegut began his career publishing short stories and soon began his prolific career by publishing his first novel Player Piano (1952). As his career progressed Vonnegut explored other areas outside science fiction which resulted in his work, Cat’s Cradle (1963) and Slaughterhouse-Five; or The Chldren’s Crusade (1969). His later work moved even further away from technology and served as commentary on American social values and society. This resulted in his novel Breakfast of Champion; or Goodbye Blue Monday! (1973). Vonnegut’s legacy was cemented as
In this essay, the author
- Explains that kurt vonnegut was an american writer born in 1922. he was a satirical writer and delved into elements of fantasy and science fiction.
- Explains that kurt vonnegut was an american writer born in 1922. he was a satirical writer and delved into elements of fantasy and science fiction.
143 wordsRead More - Analysis Of Cat's Cradleanalytical essayContemporary Writers No Longer Feel Duty Bound To Follow Major Historical And Social Changes The world after 1930’s has witnessed a number of changes and upheavals. World’s rich history gives plethora of details on such changes due to a number of factors including World War, scientific break-through, invention of scads of unbelievable sophisticated machines, mass genocide through nuclear bombings and all that. In fact, the sky is the limit. Despite such innumerable changes that took place after 1930’s, a number of literary masterpieces and best-selling written material seem as if they have no concern with the changes occurred in such periods. The famous authors and writers who are behind such writings seem to be quite callous with the prevailing miseries all over the world. In fact, they are just confined into shells of their own ego. As our thesis statement, “Contemporary writers no longer feel duty bound to follow major historical and social changes”, this paper reviews Cat’s Cradle written by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.'s Cat's Cradle demonstrates the particular effectiveness of the genre as an instrument of social criticism. A close study of Kurt Vonnegut's fiction reveals his interest in the epistemological question of mankind's ability to distinguish between reality and illusion. In Cat's Cradle, Vonnegut's attempt to resolve this question is basically pragmatic and pluralistic. Vonnegut's novel, Cat's Cradle, is his most detailed treatment of the epistemological problem, and in it he once again appears to be presenting a pragmatic approach to a pluralistic universe. Its very title suggests the difficulty in distinguishing between reality and illusion. Since Cat's Cradle is narrated by John, Kurt Vonnegutist, deal...
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how kurt vonnegut's cat’s cradle demonstrates the particular effectiveness of the genre as an instrument of social criticism.
- Analyzes how kurt vonnegut's book is based on the need for both human love and self-deception in a world where scientists relentlessly turn seeming reality into an illusion.
- Analyzes how vonnegut, like campbell, transformed life into a morality play, while campbell's "work of art" is linked to his insanity, his schizophrenia.
- Analyzes how kurt vonnegut's cat’s cradle demonstrates the particular effectiveness of the genre as an instrument of social criticism.
- Analyzes how kurt vonnegut's book is based on the need for both human love and self-deception in a world where scientists relentlessly turn seeming reality into an illusion.
- Analyzes how vonnegut, like campbell, transformed life into a morality play, while campbell's "work of art" is linked to his insanity, his schizophrenia.
- Explains that the citizens of san lorenzo practice kurt vonnegutism and thus create a lotus land where love takes the natives' minds off their hunger and disease.
- Analyzes how kurt vonnegut loses his sanity when he is constantly compelled to live a lie; his obsession may account for the destruction of his worshippers.
- Analyzes how john's relationship with mona aamons monzano is deceptive since he can never discover the truth about her.
1334 wordsRead More - Vonnegut, Kurt. Harrison Bergeron. New York: The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, 1961. Print
In this essay, the author
- Compares shirley jackson's masterpiece "the lottery" and kurt vonnegut’s exceptional story "harrison bergeron". both dystopian societies possess excessive force on civilians, with harsh consequences resulting in death.
- Analyzes how the village of 300 assembles for a lottery on june 27th every year. mr. summers follows an elaborate system of rules for creating slips of paper and making up lists of families.
- Analyzes how the lottery's unique rules lead to the randomness of the murder at the end. the government admires an egalitarian point of view instead of traditional.
- Compares shirley jackson's masterpiece "the lottery" and kurt vonnegut’s exceptional story "harrison bergeron". both dystopian societies possess excessive force on civilians, with harsh consequences resulting in death.
- Analyzes how the village of 300 assembles for a lottery on june 27th every year. mr. summers follows an elaborate system of rules for creating slips of paper and making up lists of families.
- Analyzes how the lottery's unique rules lead to the randomness of the murder at the end. the government admires an egalitarian point of view instead of traditional.
- Analyzes how the civilians in both societies are so adapted that they fear change.
- Analyzes the lack of freedom in shirley jackson's 'the lottery' and kurt vonnegut’s ‘harrison bergeron’.
- Analyzes how harrison bergeron and tessie hutchinson sacrificed themselves for the greater of their society.
- Opines that vonnegut, kurt. harrison bergeron. the magazine of fantasy & science fiction, 1961.
1641 wordsRead More - Unequality in Harrison Bergeron by Kurt Vonnegutanalytical essayWood, Karen and Charles. “The Vonnegut Effect: Science Fiction and Beyond.” The Vonnegut Statement. Vol. 5. 1937. 133-57. The GaleGroup. Web. 10 March. 2014.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how the loss of individuality shows through the two main characters, george and hazel. they follow the rules and appear to be without individual thoughts.
- Analyzes how the reader sees a society so handicapped, it is comical because it doesn't seem real. the handicaps are made for equality, but fail to reach full fairness.
- Analyzes how kurt vonnegut portrays aristotle's philosophy brilliantly in his short story "harrison bergeron."
- Analyzes how the loss of individuality shows through the two main characters, george and hazel. they follow the rules and appear to be without individual thoughts.
- Analyzes how the reader sees a society so handicapped, it is comical because it doesn't seem real. the handicaps are made for equality, but fail to reach full fairness.
- Analyzes how kurt vonnegut portrays aristotle's philosophy brilliantly in his short story "harrison bergeron."
- Explains that vonnegut's "harrison bergeron" was published in the galegroup in 1999.
860 wordsRead More - The Biblical Allusion of Lot's Wife in Slaughterhouse-Fiveanalytical essayRackstraw, Loree. “The Vonnegut Cosmos.” The North American Review 267.4 (Dec. 1982): 63-67. JSTOR. Web. 25 Sept. 2011.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how kurt vonnegut's novel, slaughterhouse-five, uses the biblical allusion of lot’s wife looking back on the destroyed cities of sodom and gomorrah to parallel the story of billy pilgrim during the war.
- Analyzes how rumfoord epitomizes this attitude when he tells billy, a survivor of the dresden firebombing, that the bombing had to be done.
- Analyzes how god punishes sodom and gomorrah, while dresden represents the nazi empire, but is not inherently sinful. america's refusal to have hindsight towards their faults is indicative of this ideology.
- Analyzes how kurt vonnegut's novel, slaughterhouse-five, uses the biblical allusion of lot’s wife looking back on the destroyed cities of sodom and gomorrah to parallel the story of billy pilgrim during the war.
- Analyzes how rumfoord epitomizes this attitude when he tells billy, a survivor of the dresden firebombing, that the bombing had to be done.
- Analyzes how god punishes sodom and gomorrah, while dresden represents the nazi empire, but is not inherently sinful. america's refusal to have hindsight towards their faults is indicative of this ideology.
- Analyzes how the narrator demonstrates how world war ii had collateral damage on the civilian population. the nakedness of the women represents the vulnerability of people in dresden.
- Analyzes how billy pilgrim represents a metaphorical pillar of salt because of the events he witnesses in dresden.
- Analyzes how billy pilgrim invents the tralfamadorians to help him cope with the suffering that he feels.
- Analyzes how billy pilgrim's coping method ignores the value of life and tries to make-believe.
- Analyzes how the narrator doesn't agree with billy pilgrim's coping method, which fails to recognize the value of human life.
- Analyzes how the narrator uses the term "human" to describe the compassion and concern felt by lot's wife after the atrocity at sodom and gomorrah.
- Analyzes how the bombing of dresden mirrors god's firestorm on sodom and gomorrah, except that dresden does not represent inherent evil. the work creates a dichotomy between the narrator and protagonist, billy pilgrim.
- Describes rackstraw, loree, "the vonnegut cosmos." the north american review 267.4 (dec. 1982): 63-67
1998 wordsRead More - Slaughterhouse-Five: A Peace Novelanalytical essayKurt Vonnegut is an American novelist from Indianapolis, Indiana, born in 1922. A very important part of his life was when he served in WWII where he was taken as a prisoner of war. Vonnegut was captured by the Germans on December 14, 1944 in the Battle of the Bulge (Biography). He was kept in Dresden with other POWs to work in a syrup factory. When Dresden was bombed on February 13, 1945, he survived while hiding in a cellar of a slaughterhouse where the POWs were living. Vonnegut was finally able to come home in May of 1945. He discusses his struggle to write about his experiences of at the beginning of his novel Slaughterhouse-Five and was unable to publish the book until 1969.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how kurt vonnegut's experience with war inspired him to write a series of novels starting with slaughter-house five.
- Describes kurt vonnegut as an american novelist from indianapolis, indiana, born in 1922. he served in wwii and was captured by the germans in the battle of the bulge.
- Analyzes how vonnegut created billy pilgrim, the protagonist of the story, to express his views about war.
- Analyzes how kurt vonnegut's experience with war inspired him to write a series of novels starting with slaughter-house five.
- Describes kurt vonnegut as an american novelist from indianapolis, indiana, born in 1922. he served in wwii and was captured by the germans in the battle of the bulge.
- Analyzes how vonnegut created billy pilgrim, the protagonist of the story, to express his views about war.
- Analyzes how billy and vonnegut carry many similarities throughout the novel, such as being taken as a pow and witnessing the firebombing of dresden.
- Analyzes how the anti-war message is upheld with the ironies that vonnegut provides in the book.
- Analyzes the irony of the execution of poor old edgar derby. a whole city gets burned down, and thousands of people are killed.
- Analyzes how vonnegut uses science fiction to prove his point. the tralfamadorians are aliens that abduct billy on a clear night 1967.
- Analyzes how vonnegut uses the tralfamadorians to criticize war. they also serve as an escape for billy when he is stressed from his experiences on earth.
- Analyzes vonnegut's use of dark humor in his novel, which reinforces the idea that war is absurd and anchored in the grim reality of the destruction of dresden.
- Analyzes how the novel is truly one of a kind in structure, with dark humor and absurdist time-travel. billy pilgrim is jerked back and forth between past and future.
- Analyzes how the narrative is a series of traumatic events, and the psychological interest of the novel is the attempt of pilgrim to comp with the shadows of horror.
- Analyzes how vonnegut's emotions against war can be seen in the comparison between himself and billy pilgrim, the tralfamadorians, dark humor, and the arrangement of the novel.
- Describes the works of charles berryman and lawrence r. broer. sanity plea: schizophrenia in the novels of kurt vonnegut
- Cites rasmussen, r. kent, vees-gulani, susanne, and vit, marek.
1434 wordsRead More - Kurt Vonnegut's Laughterhouse-Fiveanalytical essay“Laughter and tears are both responses to frustration and exhaustion. I myself prefer to laugh, since there is less cleaning up to do afterward.”-Kurt Vonnegut. Kurt Vonnegut is an American novelist and writer most well-known during the 1970s due to his breakthrough anti-war book, Slaughterhouse-Five.Vonnegut was born in 1922 and died in 2007, but is survived by three children. This paper covers the life of Mr. Vonnegut in its entirety from his childhood to his death, and talks about his most famous piece of literature, Slaughterhouse-Five.
In this essay, the author
- Narrates how vonnegut and his comrades were captured by the germans during the battle of the bulge. they were inspired to write his famous anti-war novel, slaughterhouse-five.
- Explains that slaughterhouse-five is mr. vonnegut's most popular book, escalating him to fame in the early 1970s after being published in 1969.
- Narrates kurt vonnegut's life from his childhood to his death, and his most famous piece of literature, slaughterhouse-five.
- Narrates how vonnegut and his comrades were captured by the germans during the battle of the bulge. they were inspired to write his famous anti-war novel, slaughterhouse-five.
- Explains that slaughterhouse-five is mr. vonnegut's most popular book, escalating him to fame in the early 1970s after being published in 1969.
- Narrates kurt vonnegut's life from his childhood to his death, and his most famous piece of literature, slaughterhouse-five.
- Narrates how billy was drafted into the army during the second world war, and was introduced to kilgore trout's works by ex-captain eliot rosewater.
- Analyzes how the tralfamadorians instill in billy that free will is a myth, and is only talked about on earth.
1167 wordsRead More - Mother Nightanalytical essayLiterary critic Peter J. Reeds states that Vonnegut’s “painful comic rendering of the form acknowledges not just the suffering that existence may impose, but the essential absurdity of the situation in which its randomness and incomprehensibility frequently place us” (37). The comedy in Vonnegut’s fiction is meant to express the depths and tragedies of the world in a way which is bearable enough for the reader to comprehend.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how campbell uses an analogy to explain how nazi germany could sense no important differences, how they could alternate between beautiful pieces of music and calls for corpse-carriers.
- Analyzes how vonnegut uses his own wartime experience to add depth and understanding to his writing. slaughterhouse five centers on the notorious firebombing of dresden during world war two.
- Analyzes how vonnegut's theme in mother night is that at some point, after witnessing such devastation, it becomes impossible to feel sadness or pain.
- Analyzes how campbell uses an analogy to explain how nazi germany could sense no important differences, how they could alternate between beautiful pieces of music and calls for corpse-carriers.
- Analyzes how vonnegut uses his own wartime experience to add depth and understanding to his writing. slaughterhouse five centers on the notorious firebombing of dresden during world war two.
- Analyzes how vonnegut's theme in mother night is that at some point, after witnessing such devastation, it becomes impossible to feel sadness or pain.
- Analyzes kurt vonnegut's dark humor and satirical outlook on the world allows him to look more deeply into the atrocities of everyday life.
- Analyzes how vonnegut integrates various thought themes into his writings by using science fiction, contrasting them with the lives of the tralfamadorians.
- Analyzes how vonnegut's use of irony, exaggeration, and ridicule in mother night is constant throughout the book.
- Analyzes how vonnegut's comic rendering acknowledges the suffering of existence and the absurdity of the situation in which its randomness and incomprehensibility frequently place us.
- Analyzes how vonnegut uses cyclical nature to counteract the perceived definitive nature of life.
- Analyzes how vonnegut uses regeneration and cyclicality of life to show hope for mankind and the world.
- Analyzes how vonnegut approaches deeper subjects like war, time, and death with a satirical and humoristic tone, which allows him to fully express his views on the world and look deeper into the atrocities of everyday life.
2964 wordsRead More - Harris, Charles B. "Time, Uncertainty, and Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.: A Reading of Slaughterhouse-Five." The Centennial Review 3rd ser. 20 (1976): 228-42. Web.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how billy's time travel is a sanctuary away from the war, and reminds him of it. by reinventing time, he reconciles with the destruction seen in dresden.
- Analyzes how henry, like tralfamedore in slaughterhouse five, has a place to escape the harshness of the war, and that is with catherine.
- Analyzes how pilgrim and henry struggle with their experiences in the war and both have ways to distract themselves from their surroundings, whether it be time travel, or love.
- Analyzes how billy's time travel is a sanctuary away from the war, and reminds him of it. by reinventing time, he reconciles with the destruction seen in dresden.
- Analyzes how henry, like tralfamedore in slaughterhouse five, has a place to escape the harshness of the war, and that is with catherine.
- Analyzes how pilgrim and henry struggle with their experiences in the war and both have ways to distract themselves from their surroundings, whether it be time travel, or love.
- Explains that trogdon, robert w. ernest hemingway: a literary reference. new york: carroll & graf, 2002.
- Analyzes how vonnegut and hemmingway discus the idea of war in their novels a farewell to arms and slaughterhouse five.
- Analyzes how billy pilgrim, like kurt vonnegut, is passionate about telling people about his experiences in life.
- Analyzes glasser's "a farewell to arms" and harris' "time, uncertainty, and kurt vonnegut, jr.
1622 wordsRead More