Vonnegut focuses on the death of a nation and its dream, a similar theme to that of another celebrated American author - Joseph Heller.
Heller tells the story of the dissolution of a generation; those who not only risked their lives in World War Two, but managed to survive to the final page of Catch-22 and for whom it is now "closing time". The well of post-war euphoria has run dry, leaving a forgotten generation that is now all but extinct. Closing Time, however, has its own unique style. Although chaotic at .
heart, Closing Time communicates the same themes through Heller's trademark dialogue. Despite the novel dealing primarily with the ageing of Catch-22's Yossarian it also incorporates his disillusionment at the country he lives in. It moves from lament to chaotic humour within a heartbeat, and like Breakfast of Champions Closing Time is a very sombre tale dressed up in Jester's clothing. However, Heller takes a more conventional approach to the narrative; language, rather than tone or layout, is his strongest weapon. Closing Time's dialogue is undoubtedly the snappiest of the three, and by using characters the reader is already familiar with from Catch-22 the book gains a sentimental resonance, creating empathy towards the central cast. But whereas Vonnegut and Heller are widely believed to be two of the finest American writers of the last century, their fan base is surely not as fevered or loyal as Hunter S. Thompson, who passionately believe he is a valuable literary commodity to be treasured and the one true hero of Gonzo; a breed of 60's "New Journalism" that would spawn a bible for the disillusioned sixties - Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.
Fear and Loathing follows Rolling Stone journalist Raoul Duke's (Thompson's shield-like pseudonym from the relevant authorities) search for the American Dream. Although a journalistic piece, Fear And Loathing was published in book form after appearing, in two instalments, in Rolling Stone in November of 1971.
Upon hearing the phrase "Roman Republic", most people think of a rich, powerful, vast nation with a dictator as the only form of government. Most people are wrong. The government of Rome had three well-known parts. Those parts were the senate, the consuls, and, in certain times, the dictators. In Ro...
The United States military involvement in Iraq has been an area of concern for government officials and the American people as a whole. With the latest eruption in Iraq, the question of whether or not to send our troops back into the turmoil of a country that has a flimsy government and operating re...
The Suez Crisis of 1956 demonstrates the inextricable link between the vehemence of Cold War politics and the decline of the once invincible imperial powers. The consequences of the crisis acted to ensure the decline of Anglo-French dominance in both Egypt and throughout the Middle East. This not on...
These stops included new types of pipes created by the Germans which provided varying sounds, including those that mimicked the viol family, reed stops (trumpet, posaune, shalm, vox-humana, etc.), closed pipes adding a much softer and deeper sound and smaller pipes which produced more penetrating sounds. ...
In the year 2015, are Americans with access to a variety of life-saving vaccinations knowingly avoiding them? The answer is yes. While many parents and guardians choose to vaccinate their children, others oppose for a variety of reasons. Whether online research, religious beliefs or ethical position...
March 13, 1960) on bass, Paul Hewson (later nicknamed "Bono Vox" and eventually just "Bono", b. ... There was a shop in the O'Connell Street area of Dublin, which sold 'Bonavox' hearing aids, and this seems to have been adapted to Bono Vox. ...
