Wampeters, Foma and Granfalloons

Goodbye Billy Pilgrim; Goodbye Kilgore Trout. Goodbye Dwayne Hoover.

Godspeed Kurt Vonnegut. (1922-2007).

I sincerely hope that schools today require the reading of at least one or two of Mr. Vonnegut's works, though my pessimism leads me to believe that probably isn't the case.

I did my best to recreate a Tralfamadorian here... Not a bad job, if I do say so myself. Tralfamadore is a planet whose inhabitants (aside form looking exactly as depicted here) exist in multiple times, and thus know the past and future. "The Sirens of Titan" is a great Vonnegut story that addresses our societal manipulation of each other. In today's world .. Vonnegut's future, it's as important a concept as in WWII society. As one critic wrote:

"The author also decries how humans not only use religious and ethical systems to manipulate others but also how humans allow themselves to be manipulated by those systems. Consider Rumsfoord himself; he can see the past, present, and future but he can't see Salo's (the stranded Tralfamadorian) message, and he is genuinely hurt by that fact. Salo's ship crashed on Titan in Earth's prehistory, and his people, the Tralfamadorians, have been sending him messages through Earth's great architectural achievements (.. affecting Earth's history in order to communicate with their stranded pilot). With Salo now gone..., it is possible that humanity will finally make its own destiny, without outside manipulation."

Another Vonnegut work that should be read is "Slaughterhouse 5", a story whose title is taken from the name of the building where, as a POW, Vonnegut and others hid to survive during the bombing of Desden in WWII. It's a novel that speaks to the human condition.

The same with the satire expose "Breakfast of Champions".

There is much to appreciate from the writings of this man. Much of my foundation of literary appreciation is derived from the reading, contemplation and interpretation of Mr Vonnegut's works. He will be missed.

Oh.. and this blog's title? Please allow Mr. Vonnegut explain:

" The title of this book is composed of three words from my novel "Cat's Cradle". A wampeter is an object around which the lives of many otherwise unrelated people may revolve. The Holy Grail would be a case in point. Foma are harmless untruths, intended to comfort simple souls. An example: "Prosperity is just around the corner." A granfalloon is a proud and meaningless association of human beings."

And the title "Cat's Cradle"? That's the game that the main character of that book was playing when the Atomic Bomb finally went off.....

R.I.P, Mr. Vonnegut. And thanks.

As you would say... "So it goes."