A Man Without a Country | Themes

A Man Without a Country Themes

Dependency on Oil

Out of all the various themes and arguments that Vonnegut brings up, this one is perhaps the most constant. The United States', and for that matter, the world's, dependency on oil is seen by Vonnegut as akin to a heroin junkie. There are no positive benefits to the drug or addiction, but it is incredibly harmful and causes otherwise rational nations to be doing things they have no right to be doing. Not only is the pollution from fossil fuels making water undrinkable and air unbreathable, but it is also causing global warming, which is going to eventually hurt everyone. Vonnegut argues that it is the worst addiction, since you can fill up a vehicle, run over the neighbor's pet while going eighty miles an hour, polluting the air, breaking the peace and quiet, and if you crash, then oil can kill you.

Vonnegut's analysis of the U.S.'s dependency on...
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