The Life and Writings of Kurt Vonnegut Essay - 2248 Words

Kurt Vonnegut is celebrated as one of the most successful novelist in the Post-Second World War period in the America. His literary works have had varied impacts on American culture, including the use of the word â€Å"karass† amongst college students, the naming of the pop groups â€Å"Ice Nine Kills† and â€Å"The Billy Pilgrims†, and the frequent use of the term â€Å"So it goes† as written in Vonnegut’s obituary on the New York Times (Farrell, p.ix). This article examines the impacts of Vonnegut’s on his literary work. It reviews the influences of his childhood experiences, his education, service in the army, and employment at various settings on his work as a writer. His work caught the attention of a larger audience due his simplicity and humor†¦show more content†¦This could be explained by his earlier educational life as a science student at Cornell University and his interests in science fictions. Even though Vonnegut was supportive of talking of the contributions of technology in the modern life, he was not quick to embrace technology in his literary works. For instance, â€Å"he typed his essays and stories on a typewriter rather than a computer; he always relied on the U.S. Postal Service rather than e-mail; and he warned repeatedly of the dangers of technological advancement,† (Farrell, p.ix) His dissenting views on technological advancement are illustrated in his literary works like Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Welcome to the Monkey House which depict how humans can face serious problems associated with population explosion if all the infectious diseases are eradicated. In the Player Piano, he explains how human labor will be taken by machines, creating a condition of extensive joblessness and helplessness in the modern world. Also, in Cat’s Cradle, he talks of the detriments of technological advances in military science, which could lead to the creation of deadly weapons such as â€Å"ice-nine† or neutron bomb which destroyed Midland City, Ohio as depicted in the Deadeye Dick (Farrell, p.ix). In his works, Vonnegut also uses ill fated characters, individuals who are pressed by conditionsShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Kurt Vonnegut s Slaughterhouse Five 1634 Words   |  7 PagesKurt Vonnegut once said, â€Å"So it goes† to describe the unavoidableness of fate. This aspect of seeing terrible things and being able to continue on would become a main theme in his novels. Vonnegut, as an author, received his essential voice by writing about his own experiences, using what would become his signature pessimistic yet humanist view. Vonnegut is described by Lindsay Clark as, â€Å"Worse than a pessimist†¦ he is an eternal optimist doomed to disappointment† (Clark, â€Å"Viewing Four Vonnegut NovelsRead MoreKurt Vonnegut : A Hybrid Of Science Fiction And Satire1716 Words   |  7 PagesLeanne Arata English 11 Mrs. Wheeler 5/8/2016 Kurt Vonnegut The idea of making a work that does not fit into a single category of work is how Kurt Vonnegut has become such a phenomenon. Kurt Vonnegut has a hybrid writing style which allows him to critique human nature and this is evident in his work. A hybrid writer is someone who makes something by combining two different genres to create something new. Vonnegut’s work is a hybrid of science fiction and satire. Satire is an author’s way of sayingRead MoreSlaughterhouse by Kurt Vonnegut819 Words   |  3 PagesKurt Vonnegut followed many principles in his writings. He claimed that â€Å"people do not realize that they are happy† (PBS NOW Transcript). Feeling that people had the wrong view on war, he felt that he needed to get the facts straight. Vonnegut believed that art can come from awful situations, and that the truth is not always easy to look at. Kurt Vonnegut wrote Slaughterhouse – Five to tell of his experience in the bombing of Dresden, as a prisoner in war and the atrocities that occurred. VonnegutRead MoreThe Role of Religion and Morality in Cats Cradle Essay959 Words   |  4 PagesCradle As an author, Kurt Vonnegut has received just about every kind of praise an author can receive: his works held the same sway over American philosophy as did those of Jack Kerouac or J.R.R. Tolkein; his writing has received acclaim from academics and the masses alike; and three of his books have been made into feature films. Society has permanently and noticeably been altered by his writing. Through accessible language and easily-understood themes, Vonnegut has created works subtle,Read MoreKurt Vonnegut s Personal Experiences1599 Words   |  7 PagesTHESIS STATEMENT Kurt Vonnegut’s personal experiences of World War II and the firebombing of Dresden were important factors in determining his writing style and the political and philosophical views that it conveyed. Throughout his works, the overarching message that Vonnegut delivers is the need for love and compassion in a world where humans are helpless against an indifferent fate. PURPOSE STATEMENT Through critical analysis, historical research, and textual evidence, a study on Kurt Vonnegut’s backgroundRead MoreStyle Analysis of Kurt Vonnegut on Slaughterhouse Five1623 Words   |  7 Pagesbrilliant piece of literature. One example, for instance, is Kurt Vonnegut who may have been stimulated by the war, thus writing Slaughterhouse Ââ€" Five. Though one may categorize this piece as science fiction or even auto - biographical, it can also be interpreted as an anti Ââ€" war piece. Because Vonnegut is classified as a post modernist, one can take into account all the details, such as the similarities between the main character and Vonnegut, the Tralfamadorians, and the style and themes of the novelRead MoreKurt Vonnegut Analysis825 Words   |  4 PagesThe attempts by scholars to define Vonnegut’s style of writing lean toward the belief that his work may be modern, postmodern and postmodern humanist (Davis). Accordingly, following the postmodern lean, Davis describes Vonnegut’s fiction as â€Å"lies that enable a humanism of practice.† (Davis). Decidedly anti-war, Vonnegut refused to glorify his most hurtful memories of World War II. His writings took on a common thread of sharp wit and satire. Hilariously, he made fun of his world and attempted toRead MoreKurt Vonnegut : First Generation German American Parents1213 Words   |  5 Pages1, 2017 Rough Draft Kurt Vonnegut was born in Indianapolis, Indiana on November 11, 1922. His parents, Edith and Kurt Sr. were third-generation German-American parents. Vonnegut was raised without any knowledge of the German Language. Edith the daughter of Albert Lieber, a millionaire and Indianapolis brewer while Kurt Sr. an architect. The only profound name on Kurt Sr, side was his great-grandfather Clemens Vonnegut, founder of Vonnegut s Hardware Store. Kurt Vonnegut graduated from ShortridgeRead MoreThe Impact Of Science Fiction in Our Life: Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut815 Words   |  4 PagesFiction Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse-Five brilliantly illustrates how being in combat traumatically affects soldiers in time of war. Indeed, the author uses science fiction and the creative use of time travel as a mold to bring about his true feelings towards war, thus making Slaughterhouse-Five a quintessential anti-war book. Vonnegut’s usage of science fiction creates an outlet to the planet of Tralfamadore where Billy is able to escape his mental damage from war. The author, Kurt Vonnegut, sawRead More The Mind of Kurt Vonnegut946 Words   |  4 PagesMind of Kurt Vonnegut Kurt Vonnegut is one of the preeminent writers of the later half of the twentieth century. His works are all windows into his mind, a literary psychoanalysis. He examines himself as a cog in the corporate machine in Deer in the Works; as a writer through the eyes of Kilgore Trout in several works; and most importantly, as a prisoner of war in Slaughterhouse-Five. Vonnegut created short stories and novels that dealt with events in his life. One of