Few
authors are able to incorporate science fiction, caustic remarks and black
comedy into one work of literature. However, Kurt Vonnegut Accomplishes this in
his novel Breakfast of Champions. Known for his constant belittling and
derogation of American culture, Vonnegut has made waves as an author. He
triumphs in the controversy he creates as he proceeds to disparage American
society in Breakfast of Champions. Vonnegut enlists a satirical tone to create
a unique writing style in each of his novels, making him one of the most
engrossing authors of the twentieth and twenty first century.
His personal life experiences, role models, as
well as family, heavily influence Vonnegut’s writing. Vonnegut mollifies the
late Mark Twain, whom Vonnegut named his only biological son after.
Vonnegut considered Twain to be the epitome of literary genius for his innovative
talent. Critics of Vonnegut agree Vonnegut strives to take the place of Twain
in modern day literature by mollifying his literary techniques. Due to the lack
of competition for the position, the educated public is glad to award it to
him. Evidence of Twain's bold, brash influence on Vonnegut can be found in such
works as Slaughter House Five and Sirens of Titan, as well as Breakfast Of
Champions.
Along with the work of Twain, Vonnegut's
fictional novels are heavily influenced
by his personal experiences. Breakfast
of Champions is littered with references to Vonnegut’s mother's suicide on
Mother's Day 1944 by over-dosing on sleeping pills. Vonnegut mentions his
mother’s selfish act multiple times throughout Breakfast Of Champions, and his
resentment is apparent. One of the overarching themes in Breakfast Of Champions
is best expressed in Vonnegut’s own words, “Ideas or the lack of them can cause
disease.” This belief became a large part of Vonnegut’s life when his mother
killed herself due to depression. The idea later gained even greater meaning
when Vonnegut himself attempted suicide years later.
Vonnegut holds degrees in chemistry and
mechanical engineering from
Carnegie Mellon and Cornell University
All of Vonnegut’s influences weave together to
create the unique writing readers have come to love. Breakfast Of Champions
serves as an autobiographical look into Kurt Vonnegut’s life. Vonnegut projects
himself into the story via his alter ego, Kilgore Trout. Later in the novel,
Vonnegut abandons the Trout disguise entirely, and appears as himself within
the fictional world he created. In addition, Vonnegut incorporates aspects of
his personal life into the story as he weaves his thoughts, opinions, and
memories into the reality of his other characters.
Vonnegut uses Breakfast Of Champions to
explore his life achievements
and regrets, all the while keeping a
close eye on the approaching end of his life. Vonnegut seems to recreate
himself within the character of Kilgore Trout, giving him the ideal opportunity
to either conceal or exemplify particular personality traits. Vonnegut
immortalizes and seals himself within his work of literature by creating Trout
as a
parallel being. According to
Contemporary Literary Criticism, “We have witnessed Vonnegut’s reinvention of
himself and his universe in an attempt, on the eve of his fiftieth birthday, to
be reborn. In tone and effect this is essentially an autobiographical work”
(Heath). Vonnegut applies his own characteristic qualities to
Trout. Vonnegut describes Trout as "A science-fiction writer...He
was a nobody at the time, and he supposed his life was over. He was
mistaken." (7) Vonnegut parallels his livelihood to that of Trout by
awarding Trout with the same artistic medium and style as himself.
Vonnegut later characterizes Trout as the Creator of a Universe by
allowing Dwayne Hoover to believe what Trout had written in his fictional book.
The book is from the perspective of the Creator of the Universe, speaking to
the supposed only real, non-mechanical, human in the world. This places Trout
as the Creator. “The ring master of the book is Kilgore Trout, Mr. Vonnegut’s
alter-ego” (Patten). The power to be The Creator of the Universe is something
Vonnegut also achieves within Breakfast of Champions. As a writer, Vonnegut is
a creator of a Universe and has complete control over all those whom he
invented. Vonnegut further synchronizes Trout with himself by bestowing beliefs
of his own on Trout. Vonnegut has Trout rant about famous writers and the
perception that the arts are happy, easy and prosperous when he says, "An
unhappy failure is exactly what they need to see... I'm going out there to show
them what nobody has ever seen at an arts festival before: a representative of
all the thousands of artists who devoted their entire lives to a search for
truth and beauty- and didn't find doodley-squat!" (37) Vonnegut uses
Trout's outburst to convey his own dissatisfaction with a struggling writer's
life.
To ensure the reader is aware of Vonnegut’s
presence in the story, he soon abandons his alter-ego façade and writes himself
into the story. “The awareness of this novel of itself as a novel is part of
its assertion of the human against…the chaos of reality” (Stade). Vonnegut
separates himself from reality as he transports himself into
a cocktail bar and observes his
creations first hand. He comments, "I had come to the Arts Festival
incognito. I was there to watch a confrontation between two human beings I had
created: Dwayne Hoover and Kilgore Trout" (197) As Vonnegut is sitting
amongst his literary children he knows what they are about to do and can
manipulate their actions. "I
did not worry about his (The Bartender)
asking me to leave the establishment. I had created him after all. I gave him a
name: Harold Newcomb Wilbur. I awarded him the Silver Star" (207) Vonnegut
seems to create his world as he wanders through it. His subconscious creates
irrelevant extras in his drama, and he bestows minor characters with names and
traits as he encounters them. In the cocktail bar Vonnegut produces a waitress
and offers to tell her future. "You want your fortune told?...You will be
swindled by termite exterminators and not even know it...Your cat will be
killed by a motorcyclist named Headley Thomas, and ...Arthur, your brother in
Atlanta, will find eleven dollars in a taxicab." (206-209) Vonnegut
creates a future for this young woman on the spot. He rattles of ideas he finds
floating around in his head and weaves them into the waitress's life. By doing
this, Vonnegut is demonstrating his control over his creations.
Throughout the text, Vonnegut tosses the
reader tid-bits of information about, not only himself, but also those close to
him. Vonnegut attributes the characteristics of his created beings, both
physical and personal, to those of his family and friends. Vonnegut proceeds to
inform the reader of such similarities. "His bared shins were rococo with
varicose veins and scars. So were the shins of my Father when he was an old,
old man. Kilgore Trout had my Father's shins. They were a present from me. I
gave him my Father's feet too." (229) Vonnegut surreptitiously shares with
the reader an insight into his life. Vonnegut also allows the reader a
peek into the personalities of his Mother and Sister when he writes,
"Dwayne Hoover's stepmother wasn't the only white woman to be
a terrible sport about doing work like
that. My own mother was that way too, and so was my sister, may she rest in
peace”. (251) Vonnegut casually inserts little gems of his own idiosyncrasies
and personal dealings into his text.
Vonnegut’s choice to be present in his novel
makes apparent his desire to achieve immortalization within the pages of his
book. Vonnegut certainly achieves this and more in Breakfast Of Champions.
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