Analysis Of A Truly Modern Hero By Kurt Vonnegut

Kurt Vonnegut is a man who was never afraid to express his opinions, political or otherwise. In his essay, titled “A Truly Modern Hero”, Vonnegut argues that an obstetrician named Ignaz Semmelweis should be viewed and modeled as a hero. He begins his essay by stating his intentions in his paper--at least purportedly. Vonnegut goes on to expand in detail on each of his three major subjects: honor, “guessers”, and Semmelweis as a hero. Each of his points leads into the others, and the entire essay builds on itself. He ends his essay with a few final comments on guessers and their goals. Vonnegut’s essay portrays the dangers of guessing and the heroic attributes of one who acts on knowledge in a persuasive and intellectually honest way. As an introduction to the essay, Vonnegut gives a superb summary statement. He says, “Our leaders are sick of solid information; they would rather go on guessing. That’s why we need heroes like Ignaz Semmelweis.” This quote explicitly sums up his entire …show more content…
To determine his accuracy, the term hero must be properly defined. According to Dictionary.com, a hero is “1. a person noted for courageous acts or nobility of character” or “2. a person who, in the opinion of others, has special achievements, abilities, or personal qualities and is regarded as a role model or ideal.” As far as the first definition goes, Semmelweis was both noble in his determination to save human lives, and courageous in standing up to the other doctors; however, his nobility seems to have deteriorated, because he took his own life. Under to the second definition, Semmelweis is quite obviously a hero, at least for Vonnegut: the only question there is whether others will look to him as a role model as well. According to either of these definitions Semmelweis can be considered a hero, whether just of Vonnegut or of the world at