When given the task of discussing identity in Vonnegut’s work, I knew almost immediately that I wanted to center my essay around Judith Butler. I was immediately captured by Butler’s idea that gender identity, unlike biological sex, is slowly constructed through factors like individual desires, historical patterns, and the expectations of others. As I read through more of her work, I started to think about how her ideas aligned with certain aspects of Vonnegut’s female characters. Although Vonnegut is my favorite author, I’ve always been bothered by the way he portrays women. Unlike his dynamic male characters, his female characters are alarmingly flat. It was initially difficult to decide which characters to focus on in my essay, but I eventually chose the Noth sisters from Mother Night and Susanna from “Miss Temptation” because their personalities are almost entirely dependent on men. Because of their one-dimensional nature, I thought it would be fascinating to analyze these female characters’ identities by applying Butler’s revolutionary ideas on gender identity and sexual performance.
LAUREN HIGGINS is a rising sophomore majoring in physical therapy and minoring in women’s studies. She was born in Boston but has lived in Old Town, Maine for most of her life. She has been an avid reader since a young age, and enjoys playing with her dog, listening to music, and spending time with friends. She would like to thank Ken Alba and Ashley Cui for helping her succeed in WR 100, and her entire family for supporting her no matter what.