Kurt Vonnegut was a true artist with an unrivaled literary voice. This man lived an incredible life, one that will forever be immortalized in his many short stories, novels, and essays. The day after Kurt Vonnegut passed in 2007, I was set to give a presentation on Vonnegut's life and works in my high school english class. It crushed me to have to add "and so it goes" to the end of the presentation. This is one of my favorite of Vonnegut's speeches, wish I could have seen him speak in person!
One of the great humorists in American history... "What, incidentally, was a pregnant mother of two doing, operating a vacuum cleaner on Mother's Day? She was practically asking for a bullet between the eyes!"
Deadeye Dick? Also, now that I'm seeing that quote again, if it's actually the one I think it is, I'm realizing it might be a reference to the way people talk about rape.
@skyhouse Well, he was pointing out how that women, even on the day they're supposed to be celebrated, still feel compelled to do housework, and for that, they deserve to be punished. It's a commentary on the unfairness of these kinds of gender roles and the place of women in society. It's classic Vonnegut.
If things had not worked out for Kurt Vonnegut as an author he likely would have had a brilliant career as a standup comedian. His jokes and timing are spot-on. I can imagine growing up watching a cutting-edge but very insightful sitcom called Vonnegut.
Elsewhere Vonnegut wrote 8 rules for the short story and ended it by saying that Flannery O'Connor broke all these rules except the first, and that great writers tend to do that. The first rule was "Use the time of a total stranger in such a way that he or she will not feel the time was wasted." Vonnegut's stories always did that, although the dark irony of his stories often had characters near the bottom of the chart from B to E. So it goes.
almost word to word similar to his lecture at the Case Western Univ when he's older. But damn … what do I care … if it isn't nice, I don't know what is! Thank you Mr. Vonnegut. You make my day, Sir!
Thank you so much for putting this up ! I have read and reread Vonnegut's novels for many many years and have practically memorized his earlier works verbatim. He taught at the Famous Writer's Workshop at the University of Iowa in the same building where I took some writing courses when I was a chemistry student there and when I found that out, I was ecstatic !!! What a brilliant, funny, compassionate man !
During years I lived in IC 2 times in late 1970’s I found myself across the remainders table in the Book Store in the student Union from a fellow in an old crumpled raincoat and I thought that he looked a lot like Kurt Vonnegut ( my fave author). Then I went to a visiting lecture by him. There he was ! The fellow from the remainder table! He did photograph a bit different from in person. It was a great lecture! I think he must have visited friends from time to time.
I wonder if that also fits the "series", pick the critical points to cut off the story so people keep coming back for more and inevitably end up at the happiness bar!
Does anybody have more of this lecture, where he goes on to discuss the story curves of Kafka stories, aboriginal legends, and Hamlet? I've read about it, but I'd like to see him giving it, if I could find it.
Thankfully he was an American. *The majority of the rest of the world would have forced him to do something other than what he loved and likely killed him...* _Lovely socialism._ Most of his life's work was also here so most of his teaching was actually American only.
Deadstraight crazy... are you suggesting that his line of work was for socialism? Maybe you don't realize that what you're saying is that this lecture is a direct result of his wo4k for socialist propaganda then; which makes my comment all the more poignant, and you have justified my words despite your laughter. Problem is, the tools of propaganda have another, more well-known description with which you may be familiar, and I challenge you to show that I have used any of them; they are afterall more commonly known as *Logical fallacies.*
I listened to this for a voice sample, trying to figure out his parts in Ken Burns' The Civil War. I was surprised - I didn't realize he was a Hoosier, and it answered my question. I stayed for the essay, and I'm glad I did.
Excellent. Perfect for a first year course on the short story. You know, the unit in which you explain how artificial the traditional Western story structure is.
"Born and raised in Indianapolis, Indiana, Vonnegut attended Cornell University, but dropped out in January 1943 and enlisted in the United States Army. He was deployed to Europe to fight in World War II, and was captured by the Germans during the Battle of the Bulge. He was interned in Dresden and survived the Allied bombing of the city by taking refuge in a meat locker of the slaughterhouse where he was imprisoned."
I think it is the reputation of the brilliant man that is driving the thunderous applause for what was otherwise a funny take on story arcs. Any takers for that appraisal?
Ha ha ha... I saw him do this live once and he added another. "Your life sucks and then damn - I'm a giant cockroach!" Curve starts low and just goes lower. Awesome. #kafka.
Such a wonderful dry humor. He is one of my all time favorites. "Goddamnit!"
"B" stands for beginning. "E" stands for... electricity.
Shockeye00
ya
Mine too.
incredible.
This is really cool. It's like a cross between a college lecture and a stand-up comedy routine!
+Jeff Weskamp What every college lecture ought to be, really.
Well, sometimes the roles are reversed.
look up the video where he's older and it has spanish ("castellano") subtitles. he includes a shakespearean story "arch".
This story and the story of Hamlet can be found in his book a man without a country.
Fun is our brains favourite way to learn 😁👍
"Off-scale happiness" sounds a lot better than "lives happily ever after"
Kurt Vonnegut was a true artist with an unrivaled literary voice. This man lived an incredible life, one that will forever be immortalized in his many short stories, novels, and essays. The day after Kurt Vonnegut passed in 2007, I was set to give a presentation on Vonnegut's life and works in my high school english class. It crushed me to have to add "and so it goes" to the end of the presentation.
This is one of my favorite of Vonnegut's speeches, wish I could have seen him speak in person!
Reading "and so it goes" just sent a shiver down my body
🥲
Totally Agree! One of the Best literary voices around. Thank You Kurt Vonnegut ❤
I did in circa 1980 at the U of Iowa. It was forever memorable.
And so it went.
"Everything was beautiful and nothing hurt"
I was fortunate enough to attend one of his speaking engagements. I can’t imagine his take on these dark times… he is sorely missed.
Whatever his take would have been, it would have ended with: "And so it goes..."
I love "off scale happiness"!!!!
The same man who wrote the short story called "The Big Space Fuck."
I started reading Vonnegut when I was 15 and I have to say it introduced me to a huge amount of knowledge. There will never be another like him.
I wonder how he would map out the curve for slaughter house 5
@conorwellman8592 I pretty well know how he'd map a curve for one of today's slaughterhouses.
One of the great humorists in American history...
"What, incidentally, was a pregnant mother of two doing, operating a vacuum cleaner on Mother's Day? She was practically asking for a bullet between the eyes!"
Deadeye Dick? Also, now that I'm seeing that quote again, if it's actually the one I think it is, I'm realizing it might be a reference to the way people talk about rape.
Which narrative was this?!
@@sublimafreud698 "actually"
@skyhouse Well, he was pointing out how that women, even on the day they're supposed to be celebrated, still feel compelled to do housework, and for that, they deserve to be punished. It's a commentary on the unfairness of these kinds of gender roles and the place of women in society. It's classic Vonnegut.
01:25 "Somebody gets into trouble - gets out of it again." He just described 'life'.
Not mine. I'm stuck in trouble.
@@jamesmcinnis208 I think that's how it actually goes for most of us.
@@20000dino That's how it goes.
The "Oh God Damn It!!" @ 1:59 gets me everytime!
If things had not worked out for Kurt Vonnegut as an author he likely would have had a brilliant career as a standup comedian. His jokes and timing are spot-on. I can imagine growing up watching a cutting-edge but very insightful sitcom called Vonnegut.
Elsewhere Vonnegut wrote 8 rules for the short story and ended it by saying that Flannery O'Connor broke all these rules except the first, and that great writers tend to do that. The first rule was "Use the time of a total stranger in such a way that he or she will not feel the time was wasted." Vonnegut's stories always did that, although the dark irony of his stories often had characters near the bottom of the chart from B to E. So it goes.
I saw this lecture at the University of Kansas in the late 80's.
Wow! What treasure to have this lecture preserved. I didn't realize he had such a sense of humor.
His humor is a big part of him! His sense of irony and humor often appear in many of his literature pieces I highly recommend them.
Can you imagine the horrible state your life must be in when you thumbs-down a 4 minute video of Kurt Vonnegut explaining fiction?
Personally, that is inconceivable.
Don't worry, that person is just the main character in that third storyline.
Way way wayyyyyyyyy down on the G/I axis!!! So low that not even Kurt Vonnegut can offer his stairs up.
What I can't imagine is caring if or how many people choose "thumbs-down."
@@jamesmcinnis208 you'll get over it. And if you don't it's no one's problem but yours.
I just love Kurt Vonnegut,
almost word to word similar to his lecture at the Case Western Univ when he's older. But damn … what do I care … if it isn't nice, I don't know what is! Thank you Mr. Vonnegut. You make my day, Sir!
Some of his works were brilliant. Short story recommendation is Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow. Some hard-core prophecy. And so it goes.
Kurt Vonnegut is my favorite author. I'd recommend any of his novels, but Player Piano, and The Sirens of Titan are particularily excellent.
"...Oh God dammit."
He literally has better comedic timing than a lot of comedians!
I absolutely love this clip - I must have watched it 20 times and it still never fails to make me grin!
What a guy. So funny and so clever.
With new data mining techniques years later he was absolutely right we can now see the shapes of stories. :)
Thank you so much for putting this up !
I have read and reread Vonnegut's novels for many many years and have practically memorized his earlier works verbatim. He taught at the Famous Writer's Workshop at the University of Iowa in the same building where I took some writing courses when I was a chemistry student there and when I found that out, I was ecstatic !!! What a brilliant, funny, compassionate man !
Want some cool trivia? He worked at GE and knew Langmuir. His brother was a scientist there.
During years I lived in IC 2 times in late 1970’s I found myself across the remainders table in the Book Store in the student Union from a fellow in an old crumpled raincoat and I thought that he looked a lot like Kurt Vonnegut ( my fave author). Then I went to a visiting lecture by him. There he was ! The fellow from the remainder table! He did photograph a bit different from in person. It was a great lecture! I think he must have visited friends from time to time.
OH, HE WAS SAYING "BOING BOING" NOT BORING!!
you have achieved off scale awareness
yo man them subtitles say he sayin boring, not boring. just saying my guy.
this is one of my favorite videos
Great writer and humorist. You Tube - our favorite people back in the moment to revisit for eternity. Thank-you computer.
Love it. Have to keep coming back to it. My problem is trying to have all these plots running together - men in a mess.
I wonder if that also fits the "series", pick the critical points to cut off the story so people keep coming back for more and inevitably end up at the happiness bar!
I wonder if the series is as he has drawn ... all the patterns together as you follow different characters?
The best kind of presentation lecture I've ever seen
He is just so incredible. Thanks for posting.
My favorite author ❤❤❤
Does anybody have more of this lecture, where he goes on to discuss the story curves of Kafka stories, aboriginal legends, and Hamlet? I've read about it, but I'd like to see him giving it, if I could find it.
If anyone is still looking, a longer version has been uploaded here: czcams.com/video/GOGru_4z1Vc/video.html
Jordan Ferguson gracias !!
de nada!
This entire lecture is in his book a man without a country
A humorous but effective (and useful) illustration and analysis of narrative structure.
He's an icon, an inspiration, a teacher of life not only to artists and writers but to everyone, not only Americans but the world.
Thankfully he was an American. *The majority of the rest of the world would have forced him to do something other than what he loved and likely killed him...* _Lovely socialism._ Most of his life's work was also here so most of his teaching was actually American only.
funny how he was a socialist and even funnier was how you missed and contorted the original post into your own propaganda
...is that racist? Wow
Deadstraight crazy... are you suggesting that his line of work was for socialism? Maybe you don't realize that what you're saying is that this lecture is a direct result of his wo4k for socialist propaganda then; which makes my comment all the more poignant, and you have justified my words despite your laughter.
Problem is, the tools of propaganda have another, more well-known description with which you may be familiar, and I challenge you to show that I have used any of them; they are afterall more commonly known as *Logical fallacies.*
And an astoundingly poignant comment it undoubtedly was.
my god. the very fundamental structure of narrative is a trope in itself.
Soon as he said, "we're gonna start way down here", I knew what story it was.
What a genius he was! Brilliant!
great visualization - I love it!
What a genius lecturer.
The way he described the story of Cinderella made me smile!!
Thanks for uploading it.
I LOVE this man. This was fun and brilliant.... Awesome.
Still epic in 2021 ♥️
what a truly remarkable man
This is a fantastic clip. It gives me some new ideas for my subreddit post, and for some new dank may mays. (tips hat in appreciation).
***** such prejudice, much meanness
I, too, am above average intelligence.
Man's explaining stuff I wouldn't have understood in the most humorous way possible
Thank you for posting this - he is rad.
this is absolutely fantastic!
Learned recently he was in the same POW camp as my grandfather... his book Slaughterhouse Five was inspired by that time.
1:58 gets me every time.
+meadslosh me too!
I think he's ironicly referring to his rule 6. "Be a sadist." :D
+meadslosh Me too. I just saw this in my writing class, laughing in the middle of class, and laughed even louder just now.
"Oh, god dammit"
Tears every time
Should we take him literally? I know we don't have to but...
I could't stop laughing after a really long time. So wonderful!
Brilliant decomposition.
Great Scott! This is heavy.
Love the Bach at the end too.
He is at the tope of my favorite authors
I listened to this for a voice sample, trying to figure out his parts in Ken Burns' The Civil War. I was surprised - I didn't realize he was a Hoosier, and it answered my question. I stayed for the essay, and I'm glad I did.
Can we get the whole lecture? That would be fantastic
Brilliant..... yet so simple. Love it!
Love this!
Fabulous...
Excellent. Perfect for a first year course on the short story. You know, the unit in which you explain how artificial the traditional Western story structure is.
slaughter house 5 is one of his best works in my opinion.
+Hunter Brass literally everyone agrees slaughter house 5 is 'one of his best works.'
+Alan Herrera Mother Night is amazing too! :)
Cat's Cradle, Bluebeard, & God Bless You Mr.Rosewater are excellent reads too!
"Born and raised in Indianapolis, Indiana, Vonnegut attended Cornell University, but dropped out in January 1943 and enlisted in the United States Army. He was deployed to Europe to fight in World War II, and was captured by the Germans during the Battle of the Bulge. He was interned in Dresden and survived the Allied bombing of the city by taking refuge in a meat locker of the slaughterhouse where he was imprisoned."
We call it "person in hole" these days for our course, but it's still such a useful way of giving a visual to something abstract.
Brilliant!
Wow!
What a legend!
He would have slayed at a TED Talk
This guy is a boss. Nothing more can be said.
I love Kurt
an absolute genius. His stories make me laugh, cringe, and more importantly, think.
I think it is the reputation of the brilliant man that is driving the thunderous applause for what was otherwise a funny take on story arcs. Any takers for that appraisal?
The one Vonnegut book I've read is Cat's Cradle, which I can't stand. I think this is hilarious.
1:43 onwards. THE BEST REPRESENTATION EVAR.
I always loved Kurt's Stories, He was the Best.
Brilliant.
Thank you.
I agree. "The Road" had some curve to it. Including several shocking spikes downward. Now "Lost in Translation" was an absolute flatliner.
The piece that plays at the end is Variation 1 from Goldberg Variations by Bach.
Then there's Flowers for Algernon
That's just one of the shapes in reverse
Agree, The Hamlet bit is the best part of skit.
And Cinderella and the Prince achieve off-scale happiness. The End.
I like the sound of that.
i've read cats cradle and slaughterhouse 5. i absolutely loved everything about them both.
what vonnegut should i read next?
Wow, this video has been wondering what the shape of the story of my life is
Genius!
Pure genius
Great FUN! And, so very true...
Interesting illustration.
So. Most stories can be described by trigonometry. Fascinating.
@GiantPetRat
yes one of the better writters out there
This man can draw straight lines
We call this the Story EKG and use it to analyze stories at work.
Cerealy, we need moar of dis!
My mom’s weird friend introduced me to his books and they’re really good
I like how the first two scales look like AC wave forms too.
perfection
My personal hero
fantastic
Ha ha ha... I saw him do this live once and he added another. "Your life sucks and then damn - I'm a giant cockroach!" Curve starts low and just goes lower. Awesome. #kafka.
A great writer and thinker. A Christopher Hitchens in another body