I’d
gotten a good sense of Kurt Vonnegut’s biting wit after reading
Slaughterhouse Five, so I wasn’t expecting Breakfast of Champions to be
pink and fluffy. Still, I was startled by its ballsy cynicism and
irreverence. Whether or not I agreed with the sentiments, the book
goaded me to make an uncomfortable climb and look at the neighborhood
from a whole new tree limb.
Breakfast of Champions is set in an average American town in 1972 and tells the story of the fateful meeting between Dwayne Hoover, a wealthy businessman with severe mental illness, and the as-yet-unknown science fiction author Kilgore Trout (who also figures significantly into Slaughterhouse Five). Through these two very unconventional men and the supporting characters, Vonnegut explores several social issues (racism, sexism, pollution, etc.). His primary theme, though, is the nature of deity and humanity, and our free will (or lack thereof).
Breakfast of Champions is set in an average American town in 1972 and tells the story of the fateful meeting between Dwayne Hoover, a wealthy businessman with severe mental illness, and the as-yet-unknown science fiction author Kilgore Trout (who also figures significantly into Slaughterhouse Five). Through these two very unconventional men and the supporting characters, Vonnegut explores several social issues (racism, sexism, pollution, etc.). His primary theme, though, is the nature of deity and humanity, and our free will (or lack thereof).
One of Vonnegut's memorable illustrations |
Early
on, the narrator establishes himself as the actual pen-to-paper author
of the book we’re reading, the omniscient creator of his people. As he
tells their stories, he names every single character, even the most
incidental, and gives a brief history for each. His narrative is
scattered and disjointed, but strangely compelling, like a mad scientist
describing his wacky experiments. He simplifies complex notions down to
sarcastic quips. He draws on-the-fly illustrations that are simple,
silly, and surprisingly provocative. And as the plot ramps up, he does
the strangest thing of all: He writes himself into the plot, joining his
people in their own world, interacting with them as their author,
manipulating their actions. This author-as-character shift
feels experimental and awkward at first, but you eventually see that
Vonnegut is brilliantly supporting his thesis. The narrator is the
Creator of the Universe, and he wields tremendous control over his
people. But he finds that he is not entirely omnipotent. To some degree,
he’s a simple observer of his own creation.
Kurt Vonnegut |
Vonnegut’s
handling of racism is - be warned - indelicate. He blurts out his
characters’ raw thoughts, and those people are no civil rights
activists. Also, tender-souled readers may find his anatomical and
pornographic references distasteful at best, downright offensive at
worst. But if your sense of humor tolerates a little raunch, you should like
it.
The
plot of Breakfast of Champions is simple, and without the narrative
context, the book would be quite brief. Its tone and ideas are its
substance. Don’t expect to snuggle in for a cozy read. This book is real
art literature, not pop fluff, and as great art is supposed to do, it
provokes questions and stirs inner dialog, even at the cost of your
comfort.
What is the illustration shown above supposed to be? Would you say Vonnegut a good artist?
ReplyDeleteSorry! No spoilers! You'll have to read the book to find out what that picture is. (Or ask someone else who's read it.)
ReplyDeleteVonnegut is no Van Gogh, but his sketches are more than adequate. I bet he'd be pretty good at Draw Something.