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Example research essay topic: Sacco And Vanzetti Kurt Vonnegut - 1,090 words

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Politically Correct? Jailbird by Kurt Vonnegut presents political opinions, historical events, philosophy, government dissatisfaction accompanied by other various topics. Vonnegut's novels can be distinguished by his underlying political themes and focus on philosophical issues. In this book Vonnegut emphasizes destiny and how a series of events can explain the different types of destiny that effect everyday life all the time. He uses this novel to touch on political and moral issues in our times and the ramifications that they may have. Walter F.

Starbuck assumes the role of main character as he is preparing to be released from prison for prior involvement in the Watergate scandal. The novel covers a short span of time from when Starbuck is leaving prison to when he is offered a vice-president position at RAMJAC Corporation, and finally in the prologue he finds himself in a familiar predicament once again. This novel is composed primarily of flashbacks from Walters perspective, which spans a vast array of experiences that he has encountered throughout his lifetime. An aspect of Vonnegut's writing that establishes him as a great thinker is that he realizes there are no easy answers, and that all issues are multi-faceted. In his look at people and society he shows that there are many answers to many questions. A reoccurring question posed throughout the novel is why are people so evil with their intentions?

Jailbird is a deeply politically based novel, and it takes only until the third paragraph of the book for Vonnegut to show his contempt for the government, which stems back to the execution of FBI agent John Dillinger (2). From here he moves on to make the point that governments, usually on the state or local level willingly make laws that are contrary to the Constitution if the law will benefit big business. Politicians will make these laws for their own financial benefit, political advancement, they feel they have to control everybody, and they feel they know whats best for us, says Vonnegut. Vonnegut continually mentions the case of Sacco and Vanzetti to illuminate two other forms of prejudice, and those are the prejudices leveled against foreigners and common sense (14). The common sense of Sacco and Vanzetti came from the same books that were studied by Harvard men, but somehow the Harvard men never learned from them. Sacco and Vanzetti's common sense was that governments are the enemies of the people, and that many of the people who make up our government are unjust, self-deceiving, ignorant, and greedy.

Such common sense is grounds enough for being ostracized, even murdered, but add into the equation that the holders of this common sense were foreign born, and it comes as no shock that these two men were sacrificed. The literary genius of Kurt Vonnegut is evident in his ability to weave a story from the most mundane of characters and circumstances into an intricate web of possibilities for his stories by using literary tools such as cause and effect, congruence and destiny. Vonnegut's use of destiny as a literary tool and a fictitious device propels Jailbird into a spiral of pure genius. Vonnegut's mastery of fictitious devices allows him to construct an intricate web of possibilities for his stories to proceed. Destiny, as the dictionary tells us, is a predetermined course of events often held to be resistless to power or agency, and in Jailbird, Vonnegut implies that destiny is just the way things are bound to be.

Some ways destiny is presented by Vonnegut are to guide his characters and to shove his stories into the right direction including, destiny for people who dont believe in destiny. Anti-destiny, which is the idea of what might have been, and predestination, the idea of what happens to you has already been determined are both included in this book. Vonnegut uses a particularly obscure main character named Walter F. Starbuck.

Walter F. Starbuck was a normal, law-abiding citizen in his fifties, with a wife and a son who didnt like him, but, by using destiny as a fictitious device, Vonnegut creates an amazing story filled with adventure, love, and betrayal The first form of destiny used by Vonnegut is for people who dont believe in destiny. In Jailbird, for example, this form is noted at the opening of the novel: Life goes on, yes-and a fool and his self-respect are soon parted, perhaps never to be reunited even on Judgment Day, (41). Traditional institutions of religion invoke destiny, even though they all disown the idea of destiny.

Religions invoke destiny as Judgment Day, the idea that one-day, God will come to earth and judge everyones soul and determine whether your soul will go to Hell or Heaven. This form is used later in Jailbird to introduce a new main character. The new main character, Mary Kathleen O Looney is introduced and effects the life of Walter F. Starbuck throughout the rest of the novel, as well as the outcome of the novel.

Anti-destiny is the idea of what might have been. Vonnegut uses anti-destiny in this novel to show how much the life of one main character can effect the life of other main character (s). She might have been a great translator, for one thing I was Ruths inferior, you might say, (57 - 58). Vonnegut uses Ruth to achieve a stark contrast between Starbuck, an insignificant man, and the huge events that he precipitates. Predestination is used throughout the novel more than any other form of destiny. Vonnegut uses this form to give simple reasons for insignificant situations, and then expanding on that simple reason to have more to write about.

Predestination is the idea that God has already made things the way he wanted to and humans are only catching-up. In other words, the characters have no comment on what will happen to them. Kurt Vonnegut is a great author because of how he uses literary tools to write his exciting stories. The use of destiny as a fictitious device is the easiest tool to identify in Jailbird, Vonnegut uses it to fertilize the lives of his characters, but it is also effective. In addition to destiny he uses other literary devices such as style and tone, which add to the intrigue of his book.

Vonnegut's style in Jailbird furnishes a book that is bursting with his opinions on government, politics, and philosophy jam packed with intricate detail that all adds up in the final chapters preparing the reader for a spectacular finish. This book is worth investing time to read.


Free research essays on topics related to: main character, judgment day, common sense, sacco and vanzetti, kurt vonnegut

Research essay sample on Sacco And Vanzetti Kurt Vonnegut

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