Analysis Essay

A New Historicist View of The Nice Little People by Kurt Vonnegut

Jane Watson

English 201

Professor Leslie Jewkes

27th, October 2012

In the following essay we explore the in-depth relationship between a masterful storyteller, Kurt Vonnegut, and his short work of fiction, The Nice Little People. Closely examining Vonnegut's unique writing style and simple prose, we take a look at the man himself through his other stories and his own writing devices using a new historicist lens, with a special emphasis on Vonnegut's employ of characterization and his humanistic approach to storytelling.

Jane Watson
Professor Leslie Jewkes
English 201
27 Oct 2012

A New Historicist View of The Nice Little People by Kurt Vonnegut

Kurt Vonnegut's short story, The Nice Little People, is a fun demonstration of quirky science fiction in post world war II America. The Nice Little People is a short story found in a collection with thirteen other stories that were posthumously published in Look at the Birdie in 2009. This vignette is a compelling story written by one of the world's most unique writers. Vonnegut is most widely known for the literary masterpieces written with a strong influence from his experiences both as a soldier and a prisoner of war. This new historicist look offers a glimpse of this great american writer not through the horrors of war, but more by the Kurt Vonnegut who reveled in humor, pessimism, science fiction and moral reverence.

The protagonist told by third person limited is called Lowell Swift, and within the first paragraph Lowell is easily likable, identifiable, and cared for. Vonnegut felt it was important to create a character that could be easily followed along with and rooted for, a testament to his humanistic connection to the world. He flawlessly does this by creating a character who could be anyone and anywhere, your neighbor, friend from work or one of the nice guys at church. You root for Lowell Swift, maybe because he works an honest day's labor, maybe because you know his marriage ends that day and it feels all the more tragic because of the “red roses in a long, green box under his arm.” (431) Vonnegut's portrayal of Lowell Swift seems to be a moralized standard of the hard working joe post word war II. Because of Vonnegut's disgust at death and destruction and the effects it had on him while a prisoner of war, Vonnegut was drawn to kindness despite his negative views of the world.

Lowell Swift is too kind. You first get a taste of his moral character following just beneath the first paragraph when the narration begins with, “the bus was crowded but no woman were standing, so Lowell's conscience was unencumbered.” (431) Lowell then spends his time on the bus thinking pleasant things about his wife. Right away the reader couples Lowell's positive thoughts about his wife and the end of the marriage occurring on the same day, paving more sympathy for Lowell. The absolve of a marriage usually happens with negative foreshadowing by one or both parties involved, and the reader is told who to side with on an early basis within the story. One of Vonnegut's common storytelling devices is to shock, and because we have no idea precisely when or how the marriage will come to an end, Vonnegut has already set you up for a surprise outcome.

Vonnegut's light tone proceeds through the story, much like his other more well known works, such as Cat's Cradle and Slaughterhouse-Five. Though unlike the heavy themes of death, war and destruction in these aforementioned novels, The Nice Little People seems to be a far departure. Upon further reading, Lowell is further developed with neat description that deepens the connection between reader and character, as we now know that Lowell remains far too kind for his own good and makes less money than his wife. He's afraid she might leave him. Vonnegut explores the inequality between Lowell Swift and his wife and Lowell's humble acceptance that though she made quite a bit more money than he did as a real estate saleswoman, “God had made him-even as he had made Madelaine-presumably with some good end in mind.” (431)

Vonnegut often explored the theme of free will throughout his books. Slaughterhouse-Five and Breakfast of Champions are two well received novels that deal with the concept of free will and the view that it is nonexistent. In Slaughterhouse-Five, Vonnegut wrote, “If I hadn’t spent so much time studying Earthlings," said the Tralfamadorian, "I wouldn’t have any idea what was meant by 'free will.' I've visited thirty-one inhabited planets in the universe, and I have studied reports on one hundred more. Only on Earth is there any talk of free will.” Vonnegut explores his un-harmonious relationship with freewill again in The Nice Little People when Lowell Swift suddenly encounters a paper knife. It appeared to be thrown at him as he waited for the bus. While there is no mention of free will in the story directly, through study of Vonnegut and his work, it is clear he has put Lowell Swift in a position where he had no choice but to encounter the paper knife. Because nobody around claimed the paper knife to be their own, Lowell put it in his pocket.

Vonnegut further explains Lowell's relationship with money and the lack thereof when he hops back on the bus and arrives home to a “colonnaded, white colonial apartment” (432) which without Madelaine's income, they could not afford. This is another example of Vonnegut's tumultuous relationship with inequality, a constant theme throughout the story. Vonnegut often visits this theme in his work, as well as a particular character style, which throughout the bulk of his career is dealt in little consideration and description. Vonnegut abandoned his favorite writing style with The Nice Little People with apt and personal descriptions of Lowell Swift. Vonnegut always felt that the writer should genuinely care for what they are writing, and it is evident that Vonnegut spent an intimate amount of time with Lowell to ensure that we too, as readers, care about him. The reader spends only a minimal amount of time with Madelaine, and what we do know is spoken through Lowell, and because of his childlike descriptions of her actions while they are so painfully and obviously wrong, we further side with Lowell and find his wife despicable, even though Lowell himself does not. We know more than Lowell.

Lowell arrives home, eagerly anticipating a meeting with her as it is their anniversary. Vonnegut turns the tables when instead of meeting his beloved wife, he meets a hand written note placed on the hall mirror. “Am taking a prospect for the Finletter property to supper. Cross your fingers.” Immediately we know as readers that Madelaine is doing something much more unacceptable with this 'prospect'. Lowell, however, proceeds with a wistful smile, blissfully unaware of what is so blatantly obvious.

Vonnegut loved science fiction. Anyone familiar with Vonnegut might expect some element of the supernatural. Labeled as a science fiction writer, Vonnegut's most famous pieces included elements of time travel, alternate histories, the far future, mind control and aliens. Vonnegut claimed plainly, that he noticed technology, and merely shrugged off the label of being a science fiction writer. Thus far in The Nice Little People, Vonnegut has yet to introduce any preternatural material, so when Lowell Swift hears an unusual sound coming from his pocket where he placed the paper knife, the reader may or may not be surprised at the sudden introduction of six tiny people who have come pouring out of the paper knife and are now huddled together on the protagonist's couch.

At first, Lowell doesn't know the tiny beings that have come pouring out of the paper knife are human. He prepares to smash them, but upon further examination, Lowell indeed discovers they are three men and three woman, “clad in glistening black tights.” (433) It is no surprise that Vonnegut disallows Lowell to smash the creatures as he was preparing to do until he noticed they were human beings. An active humanistic writer, Vonnegut got right down to the human element of both Lowell Swift and the creatures when Lowell begins to tenderly care about them and for them. “He congratulated himself on his calm, his reasonableness with respect to the little people. He hadn't panicked, hadn't killed them or called for help.” (436)

Lowell Swift spends the next page and a half having a great time with the little people, entertaining himself with their crazy, unexpected arrival in his life. He notices right away that these alien-human beings couldn't have landed at a better place nor with a better person to take care of them and ensure they weren't handled wrong. It's when Madelaine arrives home that the story accelerates pace.

Vonnegut goes into brief detail of Madelaine's kiss with her boss as Lowell plainly watches from the window. Lowell's reaction, is of course, not what it may have been if the little people hadn't been preoccupying his mind. Though it seems that Lowell is far too easy going regarding his wife, which makes the ending to the story that much more provocative.

Lowell must find a way to keep the little people out of Madelaine's view. He hurries them back into the spaceship as his wife makes her first appearance in the story. We are now introduced into a quite unusual circumstance between Lowell and his wife, though not unusual of Vonnegut's writing style. Madelaine doesn't discover the existence of the little people, but she does comment on the paper knife after she offhandedly tells Lowell the flowers he brought home were nice. She does apologize for her absence on their anniversary, but the interchange between them is somehow cold and quickly to the point in an uncharacteristic way of man and wife, again, a unique mechanism of Vonnegut's writing style.

Vonnegut said of good writing, that something awful should happen to the characters, “in order that the reader may see what they are made of.” Vonnegut uses a brilliant, if somewhat sadist means to end The Nice Little People. Though Madelaine and Lowell are in fact, married, she suddenly proclaims that the prospect she'd gone out to dinner with asked her to marry him, which she replied with a yes. Lowell's calm reaction is anything but what you might expect. “I had no idea it was that simple.” (438) Madelaine says she is dreadfully sorry, and Lowell asks for a farewell kiss, which Madelaine regards with disgust. She strikes him on the chest and tries to turn away, crying, “I can't stand it!” (438)

The spaceship in Lowell's hand has a greater reaction to this turn of events than Lowell himself. It hummed and grew hot. “It trembled and shot from his hand, under its own power, straight at Madelaine's heart.” (438) Vonnegut's masterful employ of great writing has the next line of text beginning with Lowell picking up the phone to speak to the precinct. He wants to report an accident-a death, and the sergeant wants to know if it was a homicide. Lowell responds that it takes a bit of explaining, which he does thoroughly, from beginning to end.

The Nice Little People is perhaps one of Vonnegut's lesser recognized works of literature that does not directly hint at his world war II experiences but does a brilliant job reflecting his black sense of humor, satire and love for science fiction. This perfectly blended mix of ingredients is the recipe for pure fun, if you can handle a dose of caustic wit. The Nice Little People is a one of a kind glimpse into the mind of a veteran with a love affair for science fiction, black comedy and a delve into the inner state of consciousness. Vonnegut delivers just that with a likable, seemingly normal protagonist many of us can relate to. We root for Lowell Swift, even as he unintentionally facilitates the murder of his wife.

Works Cited

Britt, Ryan. “The Kurt Vonnegut Question.” Genre in the Mainstream. n.s. n.d, Web. 5 Nov. 2012.

Deresiewicz, William. "'I Was There'." Nation 294.23 (2012): 32-37. Academic Search Complete. Web. 29 Oct. 2012.

Eggers, Dave, ed. The Best American Nonrequired Reading. New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2010. Print.

Reed, Peter. “Kurt Vonnegut's Fantastic Faces.” Vonnegut. Origami Express, n.d. Web. 5 Nov. 2012.

Vonnegut, Kurt. How to Write With Style. Boingboing.net. International Paper Company, n.d. Web. 18 Nov. 2012.

Wilson, Scott. "The Economimesis Of New Historicism (Or How New Historicism Displaced Theory In English Literature Departments)." Journal For Cultural Research 11.2 (2007): 161-174. Academic Search Complete. Web. 29 Oct. 2012.

Bibliography

Notable Biographies. Kurt Vonnegut Biography. Advameg, Inc, 2012. Web. 5 Nov. 2012.

Vonnegut, Kurt. Bagombo Snuff Box: Uncollected Short Fiction. New York: Berkley Books, 2000. Print.