Those who write on the human condition are often philosophers who write with convoluted language that few can understand. Kurt Vonnegut, however, focuses on the same questions, and provides his own personal answers with as much depth as that of the most educated philosopher. He avoids stilted language typical of philosophers, using shorter sentences, less complex vocabulary, humorous tangents, and outrageous stories to get his point across. With this style, Vonnegut presents the age-old question "How do we as humans live in this world? " in a manner appealing and understandable to the less educated mass.
Vonnegut's novel is an exhibit of the flaws of a robotic, self-destructive society. In Breakfast of Champions, Kurt Vonnegut portrays a prefabricated, unfeeling society and an American culture plagued with despair, greed, and apathy. Racism and discrimination in American society is a major aspect that Vonnegut attacks and plays an important role in Breakfast of Champions as well . As the American College Dictionary defines racism as any "belief that human races have distinctive make ups that determine their respective cultures, usually involving the idea that one 's own race is superior and has the right to rule others”(dictionary. om).
It becomes clearer and clearer how filled with criticism about this certain practice that Vonnegut's novel is. Again and again , does the word "Nigger " come up in the novel to underscore the harsh treatment blacks were forced to undergo , and it is used in a particular manner by Vonnegut to express again, how pathetic, blunt and almost funnily absurd this entire notion of discrimination towards blacks was. Vonnegut purposely generalizes opinions on blacks when saying how "White people were the only people with money enough to buy new automobiles, except for a few black criminals, who always wanted Cadillacs” (Vonnegut 41) .His striking generalities poke fun at those masses that discriminate blacks and try to force them all under a certain , negative cliche .
His blunt and exaggerated language also makes this particular discrimination seem absurd. Kurt Vonnegut's Breakfast of Champions was written, as he says in the opening pages, "to clear my head of all the junk in there. . . . The things other people have put into my head, at any rate, do not fit together nicely, are often useless and ugly" (5).
Though Vonnegut wrote this book over twenty years after women had made a place for themselves in the world, his searing ocial critique shows that the position of women has not changed much, that they are still the "Others" in relation to men. A flawed society contributes to the situation, but Vonnegut shows that misplaced priorities, foolish behavior, and shallow ways of thinking lead to bad ends for women. In the descriptions of Patty Keene, Francine Pefko, Mary Alice Miller, and Beatrice Keedsler, it becomes evident that Vonnegut intends to show not only female submission to males, but also to show how the weaknesses in the present ways of thinking result in negative events .These instances are only a few of Vonneguts attacks on social criticism made throughout his novel Breakfast of Champions. "Autopsy of a Rat" in Dr.
Nericcio's Tex[t]-Mex helps to further illuminate this criticism by showing that not only is social criticism being made in Vonneguts novels, but it is shown in television shows such as Speedy Gonzales and on adds such as Aunt Jemima and the Cream O’ Wheat posters. Dr. Nericcio states, “stereotypes may be read as the bloodstains of culture conflict.Like most bloodstains, they are born from some sort of violence, some form of fracture, some type of antagonism. Like bloodstains once established, they are almost impossible to get out” (Nericcio 143).
This goes to show that once something is said or seen it is then set into ones mind. From then on they will forever see things in that sort of light or at least have a mere thought of it. Just as Vonnegut constantly uses the word “nigger” and makes colored people and woman out to be horrible people and thought of as scum over and over again.Is how he gets you to begin to finally start to see the characters in the story in the light as he portrays them. From there out the thought of a colored person or woman stays in your head as stereotypes for reality.
“The coincidences of novelty, territorial conflict, profit, and pride combine and etch into the collective imagination of the United States”(Nericcio 143), is true for both the way Vonnegut uses social criticism and the way Dr. Nericcio states that media uses social criticism.
