Kurt Vonnegut s Personal Experiences - 1599 Words

THESIS 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 background will be conducted in order to display the effects that the era in which he lived had on his writing. INTRODUCTION A baby boy, named after his father, was introduced into the world on November 11, 1922; this day, better known as Armistice Day, was set aside to celebrate the peace treaty signed after World War II. The United States of America was celebrating a time of hopeful peace and prosperity. But, a world away, a young German soldier named Adolf Hitler was rising to power and gaining the support of the Bavarian Fascist Party. Ironically, this child who was born in a time of optimistic abundance would grow up amidst a horrible economic depression and would become a man as his country was preparing to enter a brutal war. Kurt Vonnegut Jr. was born to his father and Edith Lieber in Indianapolis, Indiana on Armistice Day. At home, his parents struggled to pay every bill but still ensured that their children became educated. After graduating from Cornell University withShow 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 Five Are Obvious And Piercing As One1139 Words   |  5 PagesIt Goes Kurt Vonnegut’s anti-war novel, Slaughterhouse Five, illustrates the ghastly experiences within World War II and the journey through the universe and time of the main character, Billy Pilgrim. Although war is a sensitive subject in most cases, Vonnegut’s sarcastic, dark humor on the matter helps bring light to the fact that war is horrendous. Slaughterhouse Five demonstrates the reality of war throughout its major themes, historical accuracy, and Kurt Vonnegut’s personal experiences withinRead MoreMany Writers In History Have Written Science Fiction Novels1055 Words   |  5 Pageshave been as enduring over time as Kurt Vonnegut s Slaughterhouse-Five. Slaughterhouse-Five is a personal novel which draws upon Vonnegut s experience s as a scout in World War Two, his capture and becoming a prisoner of war, and his witnessing of the fire-bombing of Dresden in February of 1945 (the greatest man-caused massacre in history). The novel is about the life and times of a Wo rld War Two veteran named Billy Pilgrim. In Slaughterhouse-Five, Kurt Vonnegut uses structure and point of viewRead MoreSlaughterhouse Five By Kurt Vonnegut1242 Words   |  5 PagesFive, a novel written by Kurt Vonnegut, depicts unchronological and sometimes nonsensical moments of the life of Billy Pilgrim as he â€Å"become[s] unstuck in time†(Vonnegut S. Five 23) Billy has no control over where he will end up next. â€Å"He has seen his birth and death many times, and he pays random visits to all the events in between†, and â€Å"is in a constant state of fright, ... because he never knows which part of his life he is going to have to act out next.†(Vonnegut S. Five 23) The story followsRead MoreHow War Has Changed Us1350 Words   |  6 Pages The Experience That Has Changed Us Through our time here on earth, we all experience different events that make us into the people we are. Some of us experience the small things in life and never experience the sensational things. Certain people experience pain and unimaginable hardship while others experience love and comfort. We can be effected by small subtleties and overwhelming moments that open our minds and change us. War is an event that has influenced the human race since the beginningRead More Kurt Vonnegut Essay2033 Words   |  9 PagesKurt 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). Vonneguts 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: Cats Cradle, The Sirens of Titan, and God Bless You, MrRead MoreKurt Vonnegut s Slaughterhouse Five 1901 Words   |  8 PagesKurt Vonnegut developed his view of America through a history of personal loss and trauma that was largely endured at the same time by his characters. As a child, Kurt Vonnegut lived in Indianapolis, Indiana, which he would use in many of his later novels. His father was a prominent architect, while his mother came from the family of a wealthy brewer. After the depression hit, his father lost his business and gave up, his mother became addicted to alcohol and prescription drugs. In his teen yearsRead MoreAnalysis Of Shirley Jackson s The Lottery, And Kurt Vonnegut Jr. s Harrison Bergeron1604 Words   |  7 PagesA common theme of placing societal influences over personal values and beliefs can be found in Shirley Jackson’s, â€Å"The Lottery†, and Kurt Vonnegut Jr.’s â€Å"Harrison Bergeron†. These short stories describe situations in which the citizens allow the superiors to have full control, without thinking twice about the laws and traditions that require their submission. Both of these short stories are similar in theme, because each tells about a community that chooses to participate in cruel and inhumane traditionsRead MoreSlaughterhouse Five By Kurt Vonnegut1199 Words   |  5 Pagesmiddle of the twentieth century, Slaughterhouse-Five, by Kurt Vonnegut, is able to show the various possible results war can have on a person’s mind. In the novel Slaughterhouse-Five, Vonnegut is e ffectively able to portray the psychological effects of war through Billy Pilgrim and his fantasies, his indifference, and his alienation because of Vonnegut’s own personal experiences in war. Billy Pilgrim creates different fantasies after his experiences in Dresden. These fantasies are a direct result of