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June 5, 2003
A Criticism on America
For a Good Purpose
Kurt Vonnegut’s Breakfast of Champions, was written in 1972, and criticizes American society as a whole, by addressing aspects such as racism and mans vulner-ability towards media, which both spring from the ignorance of the American culture. ... As the American College Dictionary defines racism as any “belief that human races have distinctive
make-ups that determine their respective cultures, usually involving the idea that one’s own race is superior and has the right to rule others”(997), it becomes clearer and clearer how filled with criticism about this certain practice this Vonnegut’s novel is. ... By the cruel manner this novel speaks about blacks; the poor treatment of blacks in America’s his-tory comes to mind. ...
Whilst pursuing to heavily criticize racism and injustice in America’s everyday life, Vonnegut also draws closer attention to discrimination in the actual history of the US. That is, he doesn’t stop with throwing out random racist comments from different characters in his novel, but proceeds to link this racial discrimination to what actually happened in America. The following section (239) refers to the time of World War I, where “there was such a labor shortage that even Niggers who couldn’t read or write could get good factory jobs”. ... The entire novel begins with Vonnegut ridiculing the nation his characters Trout and Hoover live in, the United States of America. ... Vonnegut starts off mocking America’s ignorance when talking about this nations money bills, which is “among a lot of other baroque trash, a picture of a truncated pyramid with a radiant eye”, which “not even the President of the United States knew what . ...
Not only does Vonnegut express his sentiments for The United States through personal, direct criticism on matters such as everyday racism, naivety, and ignorance, but he also makes efforts to question both the meaning of life and the American dream through his characters Hoover and Trout. ...
Vonnegut’s, seemingly “depressed view of life,” (Festa 150) uses America to criticize mankind and to make people aware of their capabilities. ... America is such a good example to show this by, because this nation was founded on a dream of self-realization and happiness.
Approximate Word count = 2366
Approximate Pages = 9.5
(250 words per page double spaced)
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