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krep___'s review against another edition
4.5
Thoughtful, a little disturbing but also funny as only Kurt Vonnegut can be. This edition is a standalone of the short story. This story is also included in the collection Bagumbo Snuff Box.
graggirl's review against another edition
3.0
Grim story about population and control and individual responsibility for population control and planet care.
drnupur's review against another edition
5.0
Mind blowing stuff. Undoubtedly the best short story i have ever read.
mpdarby's review against another edition
4.0
Very concise short story but full of great imagery. I love Vonnegut sarcastic and cynical writing style.
erichikea's review against another edition
5.0
Worth the read
I came across this short story while looking up another author and I'm very glad I stumbled upon it. It's a good read, it'll have you thinking about it much longer than it takes to read it. I highly recommend this.
I came across this short story while looking up another author and I'm very glad I stumbled upon it. It's a good read, it'll have you thinking about it much longer than it takes to read it. I highly recommend this.
imsam's review
dark
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
fieldofhats's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Read for Intro. to English Education.
This one is a tough nut to crack. This story was about the nature of life and art, and how life never quite seems to imitate art… I think. Maybe. Art is at the center of this story, even if it only plays a minor role. It’s in the background of a story about life, and the cost of it. But, what does this story have to say about life? For one person to live (or, to be born), another must die. It must be like that to keep the population in check, which makes logical sense even though it’s horrific. When the painter thinks about this system, he decides that the world is too terrible to bear. He uses the system as it was intended to die. This seems to imply that the prevailing message is something like, “Life should be able to flourish.” But, then, what about the population? Won’t it get too big? Unlike “Harrison Bergeron”, this story doesn’t have a clear alternative. But that is the point, I suppose. The population will eventually become so massive that something will need to be done, but we also must value human life. Vonnegut doesn’t offer a solution here, he just makes us aware of the problem and tells us that we must start thinking about it, lest we end up in the world of “2BR02B.”
This one is a tough nut to crack. This story was about the nature of life and art, and how life never quite seems to imitate art… I think. Maybe. Art is at the center of this story, even if it only plays a minor role. It’s in the background of a story about life, and the cost of it. But, what does this story have to say about life? For one person to live (or, to be born), another must die. It must be like that to keep the population in check, which makes logical sense even though it’s horrific. When the painter thinks about this system, he decides that the world is too terrible to bear. He uses the system as it was intended to die. This seems to imply that the prevailing message is something like, “Life should be able to flourish.” But, then, what about the population? Won’t it get too big? Unlike “Harrison Bergeron”, this story doesn’t have a clear alternative. But that is the point, I suppose. The population will eventually become so massive that something will need to be done, but we also must value human life. Vonnegut doesn’t offer a solution here, he just makes us aware of the problem and tells us that we must start thinking about it, lest we end up in the world of “2BR02B.”
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Suicide, Child death, and Suicide attempt