I feel as though it's been quite some time since I've read anything that didn't have to do with Batman... not that there's anything wrong with that. But now is the time to dig back into some ol' Vonnegut - you crazy coot you. This being the third book of his that I've read of his (Slaughterhouse-Five and Breakfast for Champions are the first two), I've definitely grown to have an affinity for his wildly imaginative characters, settings, and plot devices. This book is no exception.
Being the second published novel of Vonnegut, The Sirens of Titan is a fairly entertaining story that focuses on the idea of fate, luck, or destiny - something along those lines. Set in the future (the 22nd century, I believe) the story follows of one man's strange journey from Earth to Mars, over to Mercury, back to Earth, then finally to the Titan moon orbiting Saturn. A lot to take in, however, it's surprisingly easy comprehend what's going on. Side note: One of Vonnegut's greatest strengths has been to tackle intangible ideas, throw them into a story, and explain it in such a simple way allowing readers to not lose focus from the main character's struggle. Each of Vonnegut's novels that I've read so far may have come off extremely convoluted had a less talented writer been seated behind the helm. The time-traveling in Slaughterhouse-Five or the author meeting his protagonist in person from Breakfast for Champions, all ideas that are really out there (especially at the time they were written), yet somehow Vonnegut just keeps things simple enough. His big mind-fuck in this novel is the "chrono-synclastic infundibulum". This is some phenomenon where a funnel or wormhole in space leads to the 4th dimension. It's never truly explain precisely what it is. All that is needed to know if that a wealthy space traveler, Winston Niles Rumfoord, is sucked into one (along with his dog Kazak), and now exists within this particle beam that stretches from our sun to the Betelgeuse constellation. When Earth passes through the beam, he and his dog are able to appear on Earth. Once Earth passes the beam, they both de-materializes back into nothingness. The only place at which he can stay in form consistently is on the moon of Titan. To make things even more trippy, Runfoord - existing in the 4th dimension - can see the past, present, and future. Because of this, many people on Earth hold him to be some sort of demi-god capable of knowing mankind's fate. However, this book doesn't focus on Rumfoord. It tells the story of Malachi Constant (the man I mentioned early who zips around from Earth to Mars and so on...).
The story begins with Rumfoord having an exclusive meeting with Constant explaining his fate - telling him that he'll be zipping around the solar system and, one day, will bear a child with Rumfoord's own wife. Constant, an ultra-wealthy socialite, does not take the news well. Does all that he can to sever the ties with Runfoord's wife and keep to himself. However, when he learns that all of his wealth is gone (due to some unlucky happenings in the stock market) Constant's fate is finally fulfilled.
The book explores the idea of fate, or the fact that every action we do is predetermine - perhaps directed by someone else. While we follow Constant on his journey - much of which is being channeled through Runfoord's work behind the scenes - we see the initial prophecy become fulfilled. Once Constant (along with his son and Rumfoord's wife) reach Titan, Rumfoord's permanent residence, it's finally revealed that although this all-powerful man has basically steered Constant's life - and quite possible every human's life for that matter - in a certain, pre-determined direction, he alone is not free from fate as well. A Tralfamadorian (the aliens mentioned in Slaughterhouse-Five) is spaceship-wrecked on Titan as well. Has been for eons. It's revealed that all of Rumfoord's doing has brought this alien his missing part (Constant's son has unknowingly been holding it as a good-luck charm all the way from Mars) for his spaceship so that he's able to leave. In fact, it's explained that all of mankind's greatest structures were built based on mind-control (or something?) that through a telescope on Titan communicates messages to this stranded traveler that they're working on a way to get him home. The ending focuses on this note that to the farthest extend of our understanding of the world leads up to the idea that we only exist is to serve a predetermined fate - to get this alien back on his way. This is something that Rumfoord does not stomach well as he de-materializes for the final time with the chrono-synclastic infundibulum shifting out of orbit. Leaving bitter that his life has served this simple purpose.
Much of this book seems fairly bleak. Our heroes are left exiled from Earth at the end to spend the remainder of their days on Titan. Even through they're technically a family, they don't even live together. Rumfoord's wife stays in Rumfoord's palace writing down the history fo the world till she dies of old age; Constant pretty much keeps to himself residing within the spaceship they traveled on; and their son, Chrono, runs away as a teenager to join a clan of birds on the moon (weird). The family disbands, and while there are moments that demonstrate their love for one another, they ultimately live and die alone. Constant does make it back to Earth for one last visit after reassembling the Tralfamadorian allowing him to complete his previous mission to delivery a message to a far off universe. Constant is delivered back to Earth where he almost immediately dies, but not before experiencing a pleasant hallucination brought on by the Tralfamadorian. I believe its in this hallucination that Vonnegut imparts his conclusion on his exploration of fate, or maybe the idea "what's it all for?" Constant learns of the message the Tralfamadorian is sent to delivery. This message that has shaped the lives of all of humanity. The message is simply: hello. Through all of the bleak, disheartening moments, I think Vonnegut is able to reel it all back with a touching moment of intergalactic kindness. All-in-all, not bad. Not bad at all.
Next on the chopping block: Cat's Cradle.
The story begins with Rumfoord having an exclusive meeting with Constant explaining his fate - telling him that he'll be zipping around the solar system and, one day, will bear a child with Rumfoord's own wife. Constant, an ultra-wealthy socialite, does not take the news well. Does all that he can to sever the ties with Runfoord's wife and keep to himself. However, when he learns that all of his wealth is gone (due to some unlucky happenings in the stock market) Constant's fate is finally fulfilled.
The book explores the idea of fate, or the fact that every action we do is predetermine - perhaps directed by someone else. While we follow Constant on his journey - much of which is being channeled through Runfoord's work behind the scenes - we see the initial prophecy become fulfilled. Once Constant (along with his son and Rumfoord's wife) reach Titan, Rumfoord's permanent residence, it's finally revealed that although this all-powerful man has basically steered Constant's life - and quite possible every human's life for that matter - in a certain, pre-determined direction, he alone is not free from fate as well. A Tralfamadorian (the aliens mentioned in Slaughterhouse-Five) is spaceship-wrecked on Titan as well. Has been for eons. It's revealed that all of Rumfoord's doing has brought this alien his missing part (Constant's son has unknowingly been holding it as a good-luck charm all the way from Mars) for his spaceship so that he's able to leave. In fact, it's explained that all of mankind's greatest structures were built based on mind-control (or something?) that through a telescope on Titan communicates messages to this stranded traveler that they're working on a way to get him home. The ending focuses on this note that to the farthest extend of our understanding of the world leads up to the idea that we only exist is to serve a predetermined fate - to get this alien back on his way. This is something that Rumfoord does not stomach well as he de-materializes for the final time with the chrono-synclastic infundibulum shifting out of orbit. Leaving bitter that his life has served this simple purpose.
Much of this book seems fairly bleak. Our heroes are left exiled from Earth at the end to spend the remainder of their days on Titan. Even through they're technically a family, they don't even live together. Rumfoord's wife stays in Rumfoord's palace writing down the history fo the world till she dies of old age; Constant pretty much keeps to himself residing within the spaceship they traveled on; and their son, Chrono, runs away as a teenager to join a clan of birds on the moon (weird). The family disbands, and while there are moments that demonstrate their love for one another, they ultimately live and die alone. Constant does make it back to Earth for one last visit after reassembling the Tralfamadorian allowing him to complete his previous mission to delivery a message to a far off universe. Constant is delivered back to Earth where he almost immediately dies, but not before experiencing a pleasant hallucination brought on by the Tralfamadorian. I believe its in this hallucination that Vonnegut imparts his conclusion on his exploration of fate, or maybe the idea "what's it all for?" Constant learns of the message the Tralfamadorian is sent to delivery. This message that has shaped the lives of all of humanity. The message is simply: hello. Through all of the bleak, disheartening moments, I think Vonnegut is able to reel it all back with a touching moment of intergalactic kindness. All-in-all, not bad. Not bad at all.
Next on the chopping block: Cat's Cradle.
Yeah, I absolutely love this book. As you said better than I could, Vonnegut's biggest strength might be his ability to present ridiculous concepts in simplistic and straightforward terms, and this book is loaded with examples. I loved the themes in this story - human destiny having such a meaningless cause, isolation and loneliness - but I also loved the story itself on a superficial level. It's about a few people zipping around the solar system and discovering strange life forms, and even without the subtext it'd be a wildly enjoyable read. Throw in the trademark Vonnegut "upbeat pessimism" and it's just incredible. At any rate, it's always nice to see more Vonnegut on Back-Blogged.
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