Historically, Vonnegut occupies an interesting place. As a man both fascinated and repulsed by the science and technology of his time, he spent all his career grappling with those conflicting feelings. Even by the last years of his life, in... Continue Reading →
Much of the scholarly discussion of Kurt Vonnegut lies in literary circles, with few historical accounts by historians discussing Vonnegut at any length (when he is mentioned in historical pieces, it is within the context of lists of authors or... Continue Reading →
Much like many of the other opinions and views which Vonnegut held, his understanding of an American identity was complicated. It is important to unravel parts of this because it will help us understand some of his conflicting views on... Continue Reading →
Though a vocal critic of science and technology throughout his career, Vonnegut was not simply anti-science or anti-technology. He had two main criticisms of technology. The first is that an overuse and overreliance on technology is dangerous, and addictive. The... Continue Reading →
In Cat’s Cradle, the world ends. Of that there is no doubt. There is no hopeful rebuilding, there is no promise of tomorrow. Jonah survives only with a few of his fellow Hoosiers and Bokonon himself. The world does not... Continue Reading →
Vonnegut’s central critiques in Player Piano are that automation technologies are often dangerous because they replace work that gives value to human lives and that technology is addictive. Academics have explored some of these same ideas in their own discussions... Continue Reading →
Corporate science was not new by the time that both Vonnegut brothers went to General Electric to work. It is interesting that Vonnegut worked at GE, since it was the first American company to make a concerted effort to cultivate... Continue Reading →
While Vonnegut wrote four novels and various short stories from 1945 to 1965, I focus on Player Piano, his first novel, and Cat’s Cradle, argued to be his best novel after Slaughterhouse-Five, because of their connection to Vonnegut’s time at... Continue Reading →
Kurt Vonnegut Jr. was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, on November 11, 1922, Armistice day.[1] Descended from wealthy and proud German-Americans, by the end of the 1920s, the Vonnegut family was faced with multiple crises of identity. The First World War... Continue Reading →
Émilie to Emily 