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Kurt Vonnegut By: Saara , Dani, and Cindy
Early Life • Kurt Vonnegut was born November 11th, 1922, in Indianapolis, Indiana. He was the son of German- American citizens. He attended Cornell University, and enlisted in the U.S Army, where he studied mechanical engineering. His mother committed suicide on Mother’s day in 1944.
Military Career • During WWII, Vonnegut was captured during the Battle of the Bulge on December 19th, 1944. He was selected leader of the POW’s because he spoke German. He witnessed the fire bombing of Dresden in February 1945, and survived in an underground slaughterhouse meat locker, called Slaughterhouse five. The bombing destroyed the majority of the city.
Military Career cont. • Vonnegut was released by the Red Army troops in May of 1945 at the Saxony – Czechoslovakian border. When he returned to America, he was awarded a Purple Heart for what he described as frostbite.
After the War • Vonnegut went back to school to study anthropology at the University of Chicago. He also worked at the city news, as well as many other newspapers in Chicago. He moved to New York, and began writing short stories, like Cat’s Cradle, which the University of Chicago later accepted as his thesis, and they awarded him the Master of Arts degree in anthropology in 1971.
Literary Works • Report on the Barnhouse Effect (1950) • Player Piano (1952) • The Sirens of Titan (1959) • Cats Cradle (1960s) • Slaughterhouse-Five (1970s) • Breakfast of Champions (1973) • Deadeye Dick • “Harrison Bergeron” • Timequake • Slapstick • Mother Night
Honors and Awards 1981 – Literary Lion award, New York Public Library 1983 – Freedom to Read award, Chicago Public Library 1985 – Emmy Award for Outstanding Children’s program “Displaced Persons” 1986 – Bronze Medallion, Guild Hall
End of Life In 2001, a fire destroyed the top story of his home. He suffered smoke inhalation, and was hospitalized in critical condition for four days. Vonnegut smoked unfiltered Pall Mall cigarettes, which he classified as a “classy way to commit suicide” In March of 2007, Vonnegut fell in his Manhattan home, and suffered irreversible brain injuries which lead to his death on April 11th, 2007
Mother Night • Setting : The main character is currently set in a jail in Old Jerusalem. Yet, the majority of the story is set in New York City. • Main Character: • Howard W. Campbell Jr. • Campbell is the narrator. He was a nazi in Germany at the time of World War Two. • Married to Helga Campbell
Summary • Howard Campbell was born in 1912 in New York. He was moved to Germany by his parents. He married Helga, who was a German actress. When WWII began, his family fled Germany, but he stayed with Helga. HU was recruited by the Nazi party to spread propaganda. But, at the same time, he was recruited as a spy by the United States to send messages through Nazi propaganda. Helga was killed in an attack when she was performing for the troops. He was caught at the end of the war.
Summary • He fled to NYC to hide. He rented an attic apartment, and spent most of his time there. An article was published in a newspaper about his works during WWII, and the publisher of the newspaper visited him and brought along a friend. He tried to play her off as his wife Helga, but it turned out that it was her younger sister, Resi. Howard fell in love with Resi, and they began a relationship. When the article is published word spread that Campbell was actually alive, and Israel wanted to try him for war crimes.
Summary • Campbell and Resi tried to escape to a foreign country, but they were caught by a Secret Agent. He is arrested, and is taken into custody by Israeli police. While he is awaiting his trial the American agent who recruited him wrote a letter that Campbell was a spy helping the Allied forces. He then comes to the realization that no matter what his defense is he will always be known as a Nazi propagandist, and that he must take responsibility.
Literary Devices • Vonnegut uses simple language. • Foreshadowing is used through the book. • There is an underlying theme which is anti-war. • The author uses the characters to show how people use each other for their own disadvantage.
Cat’s Cradle • Characters: • John Bokonon • The narrator • Angela Hoenikken • Oldest child of Felix and Emily • Emily Hoenikken • Felix’s wife, died while giving birth • Felix Hoenikken • Key researcher in the development of the atomic bomb dropped in Hiroshima • Frank Honenikken • 2nd child of Felix and Emily • Newt Hoenikken • Youngest child. 4ft. Midget
Characters • Papa Monzano • Ailing dictator of San Lonenzo • Mona Monzano • Adopted daughter of Papa Monzano • Nestor Aamons • Designed Julian Castle • Asa Breed • Felix’ supervisor • Martin Breed • Asa’s brother • Julian Castle • Millionaire owner of Castle Sugar Corporation • Philip Castle • Son of Julian
Summary • John writes a book the day the atomic bomb hits Hiroshima. He writes it to the oldest son, Newt, of the creation of the atomic bomb. Newt remembers playing with toy trucks, and his father playing cats cradle with string when the bomb dropped.
Summary • John traveled to see the Hoenikken’s. Frank’s classmates told john how strange he is. Asa gave John a tour of Felix’ job, and John visited Felix’s grave. John was also hired to write about Julian Castle. He was a multi millionaire philanthropist. • Bokonon created the religion of Bokonism. Papa Monzano practiced it. He had terminal cancer, and he named Frank his successor.
Summary • During the ceremony in honor of San Lorenzo hundred martyrs the democracy, John planned to announce his assumption of presidency. Then the bomb went off. Most of the islands survivors committed suicide. John wrote cats cradle as a record of what occurred.
Slaughterhouse Five • Characters: • Billy Pilgrim • World war I veteran • Bernhard V. O'Hare • A war time pal • Mary O'Hare • Bernhard's wife • Roland Weary • A cruel solider taken prisoner by the Germans with Billy • Wild Bob • An Army Colonel
Characters • Paul Lazzaro • the man responsible for Billy's death • Edgar Derby- • Survior of Dresden's incineration • Eliot Rosewater • A war veteran in the bed next to Billy • Tralfamadorians • Aliens
Summary • Billy Pilgrim born in 1992 grows up in Ilium, New York. He is drafted into the army during world war II. Trains as a Chaplains assistant in South Carolina. Billy's dad dies in a hunting accident right before Billy ships overseas to join the infantry regiment in Luxembourg. In the Battle of the Bulge in Belgium he is taken prisoner behind German lines. He has his first incident of time. He sees his entire life in one sweep.
Summary • He has a breakdown and a shot of morphine sends him tripping again. He and the other Americans go to Dresden, where they have to work for their keep. Their camp occupies a former slaughterhouse. Allied forces bombed the city and dropped bombs that created a firestorm that sucked all the oxygen asphyxiating or incinerating 130,000 people. Billy and his friends survived in an airtight meat locker. Days later the Russian army capture the city and Billy no longer has involvement with the war.
Summary • Billy goes back to llium. He has a terrible breakdown and commits himself to a veteran's hospital and gets shock treatments. A patient introduces him to s science fiction novel writer and they get married. The sight of a barbershop makes him breakdown and he realize it triggers memories of Dresden. The night after his daughters wedding, he tells to a radio talk show, He is kidnapped by two-foot-high aliens. He is brought from earth and is now with Tralfamadorians. They explain their perception of time.
Summary • When he returns to earth he goes on a plane to a conference and the plane crashes. Only Billy survives. He feels it is necessary to tell the world what he has learned. He makes a tape recording of how exactly he will die.
