first novel, Player Piano, where many Americans are left purposeless and unable to find work as machines replace human workers. Loss of purpose is also depicted in Galapagos, where a florist rages at her spouse for creating a robot able to do her job, and in Timequake, where an architect kills himself when replaced by computer software.[122]Suicide by fire is another common theme in Vonnegut's works; the author often returns to the theory that "many people are not fond of life." He uses this as an explanation for why humans have so severely damaged their environments, and made devices such as nuclear weapons that can make their creators extinct.[102] In Deadeye Dick, Vonnegut features the neutron bomb, designed to kill people, but leave buildings and structures untouched. He also uses this theme to demonstrate the recklessness of those who put powerful, apocalypse-inducing devices at the disposal of politicians.[123]"What is the point of life?" is a question Vonnegut often pondered in his works. When one of Vonnegut's characters, Kilgore Trout, finds the question "What is the purpose of life?" written in a bathroom, his response is, "To be the eyes and ears and conscience of the Creator of the Universe, you fool." Trout's theory is curious seeing that Vonnegut was an atheist, and thus for him, there is no Creator to report back to. Marvin comments that, "[a]s Trout chronicles one meaningless life after another, readers are left to wonder how a compassionate creator could stand by and do nothing while such reports come in." In the epigraph to Bluebeard, Vonnegut quotes his son Mark, and gives an answer to what he believes is the meaning of life: "We are here to help each other get through this thing, whatever it is."[121]Works[edit]Main article: Kurt Vonnegut bibliographyThe following is an account of Vonnegut's major works. Unless otherwise cited, this list is taken from Thomas F. Marvin's 2002 book Kurt Vonnegut: A Critical Companion (date in brackets is the date the work was first published):[124]NovelsPlayer Piano (1952)The Sirens of Titan (1959)Mother Night (1961)Cat's Cradle (1963)God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater (1965)Slaughterhouse-Five (1969)Breakfast of Champions (1973)Slapstick (1976)Jailbird (1979)Deadeye Dick (1982)Galapagos (1985)Bluebeard (1987)Hocus Pocus (1990)Timequake (1997)FictionCanary in a Cathouse (1961)Welcome to the Monkey House (1968)Happy Birthday, Wanda June (1970)Between Time and Timbuktu (1972)Bagombo Snuff Box (1997)God Bless You, Dr. Kevorkian (1999)NonfictionWampeters, Foma and Granfalloons (1974)Palm Sunday (1981)Fates Worse Than Death (1991)A Man Without a Country (2005)[56]See also[edit]Literature portal Comedy portal Biography portalNotes[edit]Jump up^ In fact, Vonnegut often described himself as a "child of the Great Depression". He also stated the Depression and its effects incited pessimism towards the validity of the American Dream.[8]Jump up^ Kurt, Sr. was embittered by his lack of work as an architect during the Great Depression, and feared a similar fate for his son. He dismissed his son's desired areas of study as "junk jewellery", and persuaded his son against following in his footsteps.[11]Jump up^ Possible factors that contributed to Edith Vonnegut's suicide include the family's loss of wealth and status, Vonnegut's forthcoming deployment overseas, and her own lack of success as a writer.