This is not
the first time I have read this novel. However, after only a few classes of
“Truth, Lies and Literature”, I have begun to read more critically. I wondered
if, like in the episode of “Supernatural”, there could be hints of a
metanarrator. Professor Schwartz offered the definition of “metatextual” as
“text that can talk to and about itself, within being in itself”. So the idea
of a metanarrator would evoke instances of Kurt Vonnegut expressing himself through
his characters. This prompted me to do a bit of research. On biography.com I learned that Vonnegut
served in World War II, where he was captured to become a prisoner of war. In
one of his novels, Slaughterhouse-Five, Vonnegut
writes the protagonist who was a prisoner of war, and had a story similar to
his own. I also learned that Vonnegut struggled with depression to the extent
of suicidal attempts, probably derived from post-traumatic stress disorder
prompted by the war.
Vonnegut could have placed himself as Felix Hoenikker, the creator of the atom
bomb. This character shares numerous similarities with Vonnegut. They both
“served” in the war. Although the biography did not say much about Vonnegut’s
personal life, besides that he married his high school sweetheart and had three
children after the war, I am assuming he was slightly detached from society.
This suggestion can be inferred from his suicidal attempts and depression.
Hoenikker was a man who was completely detached from society, he did not even
seem to care when his wife died. One thing Felix and Kurt share are their
incredible brains. Vonnegut is a literary genius, and Hoenikker is a scientific
genius. Vonnegut writes with such a unique style that he is either ostracized
or incredible appreciated. This is similar to the creation of the atom bomb, in
Cat’s Cradle, by Felix Hoenikker.
Some people think that dropping the atom bomb was the worst decision the United
States has ever made while others respect its use, citing that many more lives
would have been lost without using it to abruptly end the war.
This
analysis of author insertion into a character, metenarrator, is very general,
but since this is merely a journal entry. I decided to save my research for the
paper! The idea of, as an author, putting yourself, or aspects of yourself,
into certain characters is no something I have previously thought of. I imagine
every author does it. However, it is very hard to measure the extent to which
each author does this without doing some preliminary research about the author.
Samuel,
ReplyDeleteIt is interesting that you bring up the possibility of Felix Hoenikker as Vonnegut inserting himself in the book. The similarities that you bring up are compelling evidence, and something that I did not necessarily think of until now is that you can see these elements of Vonnegut in the narrator and the Hoenikker children as well. Perhaps Vonnegut not only inserts himself into the story through Felix Hoenikker, but through the narrator and others as well. Jonah is from Indiana, like Vonnegut, and the Hoenikker family, along with the narrator share Vonnegut's black sense of humor.
Perhaps meta narration is everywhere!