Analysis Of Kurt Vonnegut s The Monkey House

Kurt Vonnegut is known for his dark humor, wit, and imagination. He is consistently listed among the great American authors of the later twentieth century and his novel’s such as Cat’s Cradle and Slaughterhouse Five are considered modern classics. In this essay, I will focus on two of Vonnegut’s short stories â€Å"Welcome to the Monkey House† (1968) which takes place in a dystopian future where everyone is required to take pills that take all the pleasure out of sex and â€Å"Miss Temptation† (1959) which takes place in a small east coast town by looking at them through a feminist lense. Both stories come to the same ultimate conclusion that over-moralization of human sexuality is pointless and harmful but they come to this conclusion in very†¦show more content†¦When Nancy counters this with â€Å"you certainly manage to make a woman feel like an object rather than a person,† Billy’s response is â€Å"thank the pills for th at.† This moment is presented as one of the first â€Å"lessons† that Billy teaches Nancy, that the pills are bad and somehow making her less of a woman. However, what it really suggests is that a woman isn’t worth listening to if her sexuality isn’t involved. Once Nancy reaches Billy’s hideout, other women are more than happy to assist him in raping her. It is later revealed that all of these other women were also once raped by Billy but have now â€Å"they understand† and â€Å"they’re grateful.† The fact that these victims would not only be happy to assist their rapist and kidnapper but also are described as almost worshipping him seems to suggest more of a Stockholm syndrome situation instead of one where Billy has â€Å"saved† them. Billy obviously holds the power within his â€Å"gang† and these women are willing to do whatever it takes to help him rape other women. The idea that all these women needed to bec ome grateful was to be forcefully â€Å"deflowered† by Billy perpetuates the patriarchal idea that women need to be introduced (often forcefully) to their own sexuality. Instead of just letting the women stop taking their pills and then waiting for them to make their own decisions about what to do with their bodies, Billy rapes them almost as soon as theShow MoreRelatedKurt Vonnegut s Personal Experiences1599 Words   |  7 PagesTHESIS STATEMENT Kurt Vonnegut’s personal experiences of World War II and the firebombing of Dresden were important factors in determining his writing style and the political and philosophical views that it conveyed. Throughout his works, the overarching message that Vonnegut delivers is the need for love and compassion in a world where humans are helpless against an indifferent fate. PURPOSE STATEMENT Through critical analysis, historical research, and textual evidence, a study on Kurt Vonnegut’s backgroundRead MoreEpicac by Kurt Vonnegut897 Words   |  4 PagesEPICAC is a short story which is written by Kurt Vonnegut and published in his book  ¨Welcome to the Monkey House ¨ (1968). This book is a collection of short stories with different themes from war-time epics to futuristic thrillers. This story was first published before in 1950 for Colliers Weekly. Kurt Vonnegut (1992-2007) is considered one of the most influential American novelists of the twentieth century. Some of his most importantRead MoreA Feminist Analysis Of The Monkey House And Miss Temptation 1807 Words   |  8 PagesA Feminist Analysis of â€Å"Welcome to the Monkey House† and â€Å"Miss Temptation† Kurt Vonnegut is known for his dark humor, wit, and imagination. He is consistently listed among the great American authors of the later twentieth century and his novel’s such as Cat’s Cradle and Slaughterhouse Five are considered modern classics. In this essay, I will focus on two of Vonnegut’s short stories â€Å"Welcome to the Monkey House† (1968) which takes place in a dystopian future where everyone is required to take pillsRead MoreThe Mom2180 Words   |  9 Pages| |Campus: High School | |Author(s): Wilson |Date Created / Revised: 4-06-2010 | |Six Weeks Period: 6th |Grade Level Course: English III AP