This thesis examines the theme of alienation under late capitalism in three Kurt Vonnegut novels: Player Piano (1952), Jailbird (1979), and Slapstick, or Lonesome no More! (1976). The three novels discussed in this thesis are examples of post-war American satire writing, and the aim of this thesis is to use these novels to show that postmodern American literature uses satire to portray alienation under late capitalism. This selection of novels exemplifies postmodern satire and its relation to alienation, as it covers both dystopian writing and contemporary political satire.
This thesis discusses these three novels against a background of the history of satire in its sociopolitical
contexts up to the twentieth century, as well as relates them to theories on postmodernism and postmodern satire. Late capitalism in the postmodern era and its association with alienation is further examined in relation to the novels’ protagonists. Alienation is used mainly as a Marxist term denoting alienation from ones labor, oneself, and one’s relationships. The connection of satire, postmodernism, and late capitalism demonstrates that the postmodern era has seen an abundance of American satirical works about alienation, due to the advent of late capitalism after World War II. Postmodernism and late capitalism as concepts are linked and inseparable in economy and culture, which is why postmodern satirical narratives depict alienation.
Alienation in a late capitalist society affects the individual, especially an individual’s connection to their work and their relationship with themselves and others. This thesis connects the phenomenon of alienation to Vonnegut’s three protagonists, who are depicted as apathetic, confused, and passive in their work and personal lives. The role of satire is to criticize the societies created in the novels in order to exemplify the alienated existence of their protagonists as they narrate their struggle with corporations, consumer culture, exaggerated patriotism, and individualism. Satire manifests differently in each novel, but its role is the same – to show that characters in Vonnegut’s work are portrayed as alienated form their work, other people, and their own purpose
