"Mother Night"

Paper Summary:

The American public's support of the war in Iraq mirrors the reaction of the Germans during WWII, as described in Kurt Vonnegut's novel, "Mother Night". Vonnegut's novel is a less than subtle warning of the dangers that are inherent in blindly following authority. The paper shows that, today, it is disturbing to see that many Americans seem to support the war in Iraq for many of the same reasons that the Germans supported the Third Reich. The paper explains that the Germans and modern Americans may have shared unconditional faith in their leaders, a need to hate, a need to cling to simple beliefs, and an avoidance of the difficulties associated with critical and independent thought.

From the Paper:

"Certainly, the American public's support of the war in Iraq may have the same sort of unintended effect. Many Americans support the war in Iraq out of a desire to see the atrocities of Saddam Hussein put to an end, a desire to see weapons of mass destruction destroyed, and a need to combat terrorism. However, it is certainly plausible that the Muslim world will see the American effort in Iraq as an unnecessary and fruitless example of Western military and economic power. Thus, the American involvement in Iraq may further harm Muslim feeling toward the western world, ultimately resulting in increased terrorism and hatred of the West."

More papers on "Mother Night":

• Book Review # 67330 : "Kurt Vonnegut's "Mother Night"
• Comparison Essay # 128046 : "Fetishes In "Mother Night" and "Winesburg, Ohio"
• Comparison Essay # 1693 : "Hamlet and "Night Mother"

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