Vonnegut Satire

Vonnegut uses two characters to explain how he feels about the American Dream, Kilgore Trout and Dwayne Hoover. Together, they help us understand many stories throughout the book that deal with many of the problems in America. Vonnegut uses a very sarcastic tone known as satire to share to us his viewpoint on things that happen in America. In my analysis, I see Breakfast of Champions as just a whole shot on the concept of America. He is using the “impoliteness” that Phoebe Hurty taught to him so well. After reading this book, I understand what he means by impolite. According to my analysis, by impolite, he means being politely impolite. For example, comedians talk about everybody and everything and most of the time it’s nothing nice, but the fact that they make you laugh while they talk about you make sit ok. This is the exact same approach Vonnegut is taking when he takes on a journey through is sarcastic mind. Inside Breakfast of Champions, Vonnegut uses satire to view many points and aspects of America. He makes fun of sexuality, history, politics, race, violence, gender, class, death, humanity, and corporate America. These are all major aspects and keys to the American Dream. In a way, Vonnegut is making fun of the concept of the American Dream in itself. I believe that Vonnegut is just talking about the real problems in this world and can relate to many of the things he talks about inside Breakfast of Champions. Vonnegut has done a great job in using satire to call the American Dream into question. He may be right.

“You are the only creature in the entire Universe who has free will. You are the only one who has to figure out what to do next—and why. Everybody else is a robot, a machine.” (Vonnegut 259). This is a prime example of dehumanization. He is making one feel detached from all other humans. The American Heritage Dictionary defines dehumanize as “To deprive of human qualities or attributes” or “To render mechanical and routine”. When Vonnegut said...