All posts tagged Kurt Vonnegut

Kurt Vonnegut (November 11, 1922 – April 11, 2007) was an American author known for his satirical and darkly humorous novels. His published work includes fourteen novels, three short-story collections, five plays, and five nonfiction works over fifty years; further works have been published since his death.

Slaughterhouse 5

Kurt Vonnegut wrote Slaughterhouse 5 from his own experiences serving in the armed forces. It tells the story of Billy Pilgrim, an optometrist and World War II veteran. Billy becomes “unstuck in time,” experiencing moments of his life out of chronological order. Vonnegut structures the novel in a non-linear fashion. Billy’s experiences during the war, particularly the firebombing of Dresden, Germany, serve as a central focus. Vonnegut himself was a survivor of the Dresden bombing, and the novel draws from...

Read more →

Breakfast of Champions

What would any of our high school educations be without Mr. Vonnegut, a ubiquitous favorite among our English teachers. Breakfast of Champions is set in the fictional town of Midland City. It’s where Dwayne Hoover’s life begins to unravel as he becomes increasingly unstable and delusional. Kilgore Trout, unaware of his importance to Dwayne’s situation, arrives in the same city. He’s there for an arts festival. Vonnegut explores a wide range of themes, including free will, mental illness, capitalism, and...

Read more →