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Conclusion
This essay has dealt with the images of humanity and God as
seen by Kurt Vonnegut, two images frequently appearing in most of
his books. It has been shown that Humanity and Divinity in his
novels can be taken and examined as any literary characters, can
be attributed character traits etc.
Humanity has been examined first: its physical appearance,
the environment and its actions. People have been found to be
neglecting themselves, neglecting the environment, and neglecting
one another. Apart from causing ecological catastrophies and
cruel wars humans have been found to be causing catastrophies of
their own lives, being driven into doom by fatal lusts, such as
sex, money and ambition. However, Vonnegut seems to find these
drives to be pre-programmed in human beings, as if they were
machines. He supplies a definition of 'a machine' into which
Humanity fits almost perfectly. There is one detail, however that
does not fit: human imagination.
Divinity has been found to be the 'higher force' that is
responsible for Humanity, yet it is altogether indifferent to
people and all of its creation. It either does not care about
what it created at all, or follows its mysterious plans
regardless the human beings and other creation. Divinity is seen
as a cruel puppet-master leading its puppets into terrible
situations. It is seen as a writer who likes to write about
suffering. It is seen as the oversize brain of Humanity, making
people do terrible things.
Further, this essay identified the villain and hero
characters in Vonnegut's books. Humanity was found 'not guilty',
since it must obey the puppet master, it must do things that are
beyond its control. The blame, therefore, lies on Divinity. It is
the villain. Humanity is, therefore, left the post of the hero.
Humanity could not claim it, however, if there was not anything
more to people than dead machinery. It has been proved, that
there was something more: Humanity's soul, its awareness, its
imagination by which it managed to outwit Divinity and thus win.
Humanity therefore is identifies as the hero and Divinity as the
villain.
This essay has also dealt with application of the
relationship between Humanity and Divinity to Kurt Vonnegut
himself. It has shown that Vonnegut, having to go through really
bad times (such as WWII) was trying to find a way how one could
'love his neighbor'. He managed to cleanse people of their sins
and love what is good in them. The bad things, the evil things,
he manages to attribute to a higher entity, Divinity.
The end of the essay has shortly dealt with similarities
between Vonnegut's views and Christians' views. There have been
found many common features with one difference: who sits in the
dock.
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