1) summary of main arguments 2) something surprising or interesting learned 3) agree/disagree with the ideas and then apply this to a scene or example from the book (one not mentioned by the critic). Please try to disagree at least once with a critic. At the top, include how many pages, the bibliography information, which summary.
Summary 2: 8/10 for details.
Summary 3:8/10
Summary 1: 0/10
Marvin, Thomas F. Kurt Vonnegut: A Critical Companion. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2002. Questia. Web. 3 Feb. 2010.
Pg 77-87
Marvin begins by describing John, A.K.A. Jonah. He says that he is called Jonah since like the biblical character, John experiences many strange events throughout the course of the novel. Marvin then summarizes the book just as Sparknotes does, which includes a very surface deep analysis of the plot.
The article (in this case a book), then moves onto character development. It starts with John, who is described as an insecure person who uses cynicism as a method of covering his insecurities. Marvin points out particle parts of the novel during which John's thin shell of cynicism cracks and reveals his true self. The analysis of Felix Hoenikker isn't much different from what Vonnegut writes directly in the novel. This is probably because since Felix is dead from before the start of the novel, there is little to go on other than what Vonnegut says.
Something interesting that I learned was the origin of John's name. I just assumed that Jonah was another name, but obviously there had to be something behind it. The character analysis wasn't too surprising or interesting, however.
I agree with Marvin's analysis of Felix Hoenikker because it's exactly what I thought before reading his article. Felix is a happy and immature man who causes problems for his children's development since he is completely unable to be a father. He finds joy in science but this joy causes him to overlook his wife and children. This particularly reminded me of the scene when Felix tries to play with Newt and is hurt because Newt is scared of him. This childish response is described by Marvin in detail.
Reed, Peter J. The Short Fiction of Kurt Vonnegut. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1997. Questia. Web. 7 Feb. 2010.
Pg 75-88
Reed begins this section of his book by starting with biographical information regarding Kurt Vonnegut. He states that Vonnegut returned to publishing short stories in 1960. The section then moves onto the origin of Newt, a name that is used multiple times in Vonnegut's novels. Reed analyzes the connection between Newt and Vonnegut, which includes the sibling triangle that both are involved in. The section briefly describes some of Vonnegut's short stories and also mixes in biographical information. It is apparent that through Reed's analysis of Vonnegut's short stories and novels, that Vonnegut re-uses various themes in his works. This includes the use of identity and and wealth which are very popular themes to write upon.
The one surprising thing I learned is that Newt, a character in Cat's Cradle, has some connection with Vonnegut. It's surprising that a writer who has complete control of his work chose to relate himself to a midget instead of a regular person. But thinking about it now, it's not so surprising once I take into consideration the strangeness of Vonnegut's various works.
I am forced to agree with Reed. I have very little knowledge of Vonnegut's multiple works and the points that I do understand are in agreement with what I thought before like the repeating themes that Vonnegut uses. For example, in Slaughterhouse-Five, the theme of interconnection is apparent with the small and apparent ways that characters are related to one another. In Cat's Cradle, Vonnegut does this again except he states this directly with Bokononism which involves this interconnectedness.
Overall, you are choosing more surface criticism. You need to go deeper. http://www.questiaschool.com/read/5001918290?title=%22It%20Made%20Me%20Think%2c%20Seeing%20Myself%20like%20That%22%3a%20Affective%20Literary%20Representations%20of%20the%20Inferior%20Masculine%20Self%2c%20or%20Good-Bye%2c%20Billy%20Pilgrim This could be a possible article in Questia -- I typed in Vonnegut and masculinity (no idea if it would net results, but several interesting articles came up. Or found this phrase when typing in some search words Writing Horror and the Body: The Fiction of Stephen King, Clive Barker, and Anne Rice
Book by Linda Badley; Greenwood Press, 1996 Subjects: Barker, Clive--1952---Criticism And Interpretation, Body, Human, In Literature, Horror Tales, American--History And Criticism, Horror Tales, English--History And Criticism, King, Stephen--1947---Criticism And Interpretation, Rice, Anne--1941---Criticism And InterpretationCollections: Literature, Entire Library
...preceded it. King's career is an important response to this shift. Gray notes that while academic writers like Barth and Vonnegut paro- died and ironized mass culture, King took it dead seriously. In fact, he assumed the mantle of its high priest...
Also type in Vonnegut and Freud or Vonnegut and Post-modernism or Vonnegut and "dominant culture" or "cultural poetics" or "gender"
Summary 2: 8/10 for details.
Summary 3:8/10
Summary 1: 0/10
Marvin, Thomas F. Kurt Vonnegut: A Critical Companion. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2002. Questia. Web. 3 Feb. 2010.
Pg 77-87
Marvin begins by describing John, A.K.A. Jonah. He says that he is called Jonah since like the biblical character, John experiences many strange events throughout the course of the novel. Marvin then summarizes the book just as Sparknotes does, which includes a very surface deep analysis of the plot.
The article (in this case a book), then moves onto character development. It starts with John, who is described as an insecure person who uses cynicism as a method of covering his insecurities. Marvin points out particle parts of the novel during which John's thin shell of cynicism cracks and reveals his true self. The analysis of Felix Hoenikker isn't much different from what Vonnegut writes directly in the novel. This is probably because since Felix is dead from before the start of the novel, there is little to go on other than what Vonnegut says.
Something interesting that I learned was the origin of John's name. I just assumed that Jonah was another name, but obviously there had to be something behind it. The character analysis wasn't too surprising or interesting, however.
I agree with Marvin's analysis of Felix Hoenikker because it's exactly what I thought before reading his article. Felix is a happy and immature man who causes problems for his children's development since he is completely unable to be a father. He finds joy in science but this joy causes him to overlook his wife and children. This particularly reminded me of the scene when Felix tries to play with Newt and is hurt because Newt is scared of him. This childish response is described by Marvin in detail.
Reed, Peter J. The Short Fiction of Kurt Vonnegut. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1997. Questia. Web. 7 Feb. 2010.
Pg 75-88
Reed begins this section of his book by starting with biographical information regarding Kurt Vonnegut. He states that Vonnegut returned to publishing short stories in 1960. The section then moves onto the origin of Newt, a name that is used multiple times in Vonnegut's novels. Reed analyzes the connection between Newt and Vonnegut, which includes the sibling triangle that both are involved in. The section briefly describes some of Vonnegut's short stories and also mixes in biographical information. It is apparent that through Reed's analysis of Vonnegut's short stories and novels, that Vonnegut re-uses various themes in his works. This includes the use of identity and and wealth which are very popular themes to write upon.
The one surprising thing I learned is that Newt, a character in Cat's Cradle, has some connection with Vonnegut. It's surprising that a writer who has complete control of his work chose to relate himself to a midget instead of a regular person. But thinking about it now, it's not so surprising once I take into consideration the strangeness of Vonnegut's various works.
I am forced to agree with Reed. I have very little knowledge of Vonnegut's multiple works and the points that I do understand are in agreement with what I thought before like the repeating themes that Vonnegut uses. For example, in Slaughterhouse-Five, the theme of interconnection is apparent with the small and apparent ways that characters are related to one another. In Cat's Cradle, Vonnegut does this again except he states this directly with Bokononism which involves this interconnectedness.