Nineteen Sixty Eight. Sexuality is at its peak. The fight for physical freedoms rage as a nation rallies for free love and peace. In the height of sexual oppression, a tantalizing binding of barren women entrance even the most conservative of men. “Welcome to the Monkey House” was first published in the titillating pages of “Playboy.” How fitting to present a short story of sexual freedoms in such a liberal magazine of sexual desires. The profound, archaic desires of humanity entrance the nation as they forgo the expectations of society and explore a forbidden world and pleasure and lust.
“Billy put a small bottle on top of the book. ‘I am also leaving you these pills. If you take one a month, you will never have children. And still you’ll be a nothinghead.’ And he left. And they all left but Nancy. When Nancy raised her eyes at last to the book and bottle, she saw that there was a label on the bottle. What he label said was this: Welcome to the Monkey House”(Vonnegut). The government is seen as an enemy to personal freedoms. Vonnegut depicts the the harshest reality possible to bring to light the control he feels the government is capable to implementing. His message encourages the opposition of central forces. The message is profound. We, as a nation, do not have to conform to create a better society. No one can delineate the way one should live their life. The sinful nature to one is not equivalent to the sinful nature of another. Judgement should be a thing of the past. Freedom should empower the nation. The fight for liberties is necessary to hide the equivocation of the government. Know what you stand for and fight. Does Vonnegut accurately depict the controlling nature of the government? Was sexual freedom a good means of exploring the constraint inflicted by the government?
I honestly think that Vonnegut does accurately depict the controlling nature of the Government and humanity in nature. "Absolute power corrupts, absolutely" I found it funny that the creator of Ethical Birth Control himself had eleven children but that's not something they'd highlight or encourage. I think Vonnegut paints an amazing picture on the road and struggle for freedom in this story sexual freedom. The fight against reform and the desire to make their own choices. The nothingheads were still responsible, they still took regular birth control but they wanted the right to enjoy sex. During this time in history the government first started their "war on drugs" whose to say they weren't going to start a "war on sex" after that. I think Vonnegut is warning us, he's warning his fellow citizen the dangers of government mandates and the power they hold. This story is beautiful and I loved your blog on it.
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