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JonathanCarlton Dr.ChristianBeck LIT3605 29April2013

ASeparationofSeveralSelves:Violence,IdentityandLanguageinMotherNight

Languageisapowerfultoolthatcanbeusedbothforgoodandforevil.Inwar,however,this clearbinarybecomesblurryeveryonethinkstheyarethegoodguy,doingtherightthing.How,then, wouldsomeonebeabletobesureiftheiractionsareactuallycausingharm?InKurtVonneguts MotherNight,thenarrator,HowardCampbell,istornbetweentwodistinctidentities:thatoftheAlly American,andthatoftheNazi.Hedoesntknowwhichidentityisgood,becausehedoesnotwholly belongtoeitherone.Inthenovel,eachstatehasitsrespectiveuseoflanguage:theGermansideisall aboutbroadcastingpropaganda,andtheAmericansideconsistsofsharinghiddenmessagesduring thesebroadcasts.Splitbetweenthesetwoidentities,Campbellisunabletopinthetrueresultsofhis actions,ashistrueidentityandoriginallanguagehavebeenburiedunderneaththelanguagethathasbeen imposeduponhimbyanauthorityfigure.ThroughthecontrolofthelanguageofMotherNights characters,violenceisdoneontheirsensesofidentityandindividuality,withthedamagedonetotheir psycheseventuallytransformingintophysicalviolence. TherelationshipbetweenviolenceandlanguagehasbeenwrittenonextensivelybyJames Dawes.Hewritesthatduringwartheeffectofviolenceuponlanguageisamplifiedandclarified:

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languageiscensored,encrypted,andeuphemizedthreatsandliesareelevatedtothestatusof communicativeparadigms(2).Thiscommunicativeparadigmofthreatsandliesitprevalent throughoutthenovel.Allofitscharactersarepresentedinonemanner,andthenlaterrevealedtobeof anentirelydifferentidentity.Communicationisalmostneverdirectandhonest,untilacharacterslast momentsinwhichthepsychologicalviolenceenacteduponthemhastakensuchanextremetollthat languageistheirlastavenueofexpression.Forexample,neartheendofthenovelFrankWirtanen,the AmericanagentwhoenlistedCampbelltospyfortheallies,ignoreshisoathstosecrecyandrevealshis trueidentitytoCampbellinaletter.Thedisciplineofalifetimecollapseslikethefabledwallsof Jericho,hebegins,usingviolentimagerytosymbolizethedeteriorationofhisabilitytobottlethetruth. Ithinkthemusicmustbeanoldsoldier'sitchforjustalittletreason.Andtreasonthisletteris (Vonnegut,267).Inthenovel,languageiscontrolledinthetimeofwarbyafigureofauthority,whether itbeGoebbelsoftheNazis,oranAmericanagencyinchargeofWirtanen.Witanensimilarlyis frustratedbythecontrolauthorityhasoverhim,recognizingthatitisstiflinghisownvoiceandsenseof identity:MynameisHaroldJ.Sparrow...Iexist.Icanbeseen,heardandtouchedalmostanyday...I affirm,andwillaffirmunderoath,thatIrecruitedyouasanAmericanagent...(Vonnegut,267).Tired ofspendingsomanyyearscommunicatinginasecretmethodthathasbecomeaparadigmoflanguage duringthewar,Wirtanenispushedtohislimitandsimplytellstheentiretruth.Theeffecttowhichthis truthisactuallythetruth,though,remainstobeseen. Campbellexperiencesmuchofthesameconflictonhisownidentity.Hislanguageiscontrolled bytwoopposingparties,wreakinghavoconhisindividualityandhiswilltospeakashepleases, thereforeharmingthedevelopmentofhisindividuality.Daweswritesthat"insofaras

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violenceascoercionisanassaultuponfreeagency,andtheactofspeakingisconceivedofasthe fundamentalsignandapplicationofourfreeagency,thenthevolitionaluseoflanguageismiraculouslyan assaultuponviolence"(2).Campbellsfreeagencyhisabilitytospeakhisownvoiceisoppressedby thedualrolesheispressuredintotaking:oneastheNazi,theotherastheAmericanagent.Bothsides directhisuseoflanguage,andinturnassaulthimbyviolatinghissenseofidentity.Besidesdirectinghis language,authoritiesconfuseCampbellwithlanguageaswell.Heispresentedwithcontradictionsthat canleadtofurtherconfusionandlossoftheabilitytoascertainjustwhoheis.Forexample,Campbellis toldbyWirtanenthattobeagoodAmericanspyhellhavetocommithightreason(Vonnegut,44). TohelptheAllies,hellhavetoharmthem.WhatdoesthatsayaboutCampbell?Isheaidingthe AmericansmorethantheNazis?Whosesideishereallyon?Further,Campbelldoesntevenknow whatheissayingtotheAmericanswhilebroadcasting.Hedoesntevenknowuntilmuchlaterthathe broadcastedthenewsofhiswifesdeath.Hesapuppet,beingtoldwhattosaybutnotevenbeingable tounderstandit.Hisvoiceisnolongerhisown.Thetakingawayofthatvoiceisaformofviolence. Inordertocombatthispsychologicalviolenceassaultit,asDawessaidCampbellwrites plays.Theseplaysarehighlyromanticized,especiallyANationofTwo.Campbellexplainsthatit wasgoingtobeaboutthelovemywifeandIhadforeachother.Itwasgoingtoshowhowapairof loversinaworldgonemadcouldsurvivebybeingloyalonlytoanationcomposedofthemselves,a nationoftwo(Vonnegut,34).ItstragicthatCampbellsonlytrueuseofvolitionallanguagetakesa highlyromanticizedform,showinghisextremedisconnectionfromtherealworld.Heuseshisown languagetoconstructhisownworld,wherehealsoconstructshisownsenseofidentityandselfworth. OnlyonethingcountedTheNationoftwo.Andwhenthatnationceasedtobe,IbecamewhatIam

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todayandwhatIalwayswillbe,astatelessperson(Vonnegut,43).Campbelliscompelledtoally himselfwithonestateoranother,butisunabletoduetoGermanyandtheU.S.tugginghimbackand forth.Byremaininganationlesspersonbyinclination(Vonnegut,1),heisnotabletomoldanidentity forhimself.Ifastatelessperson,amanwithnoallegiances,thentowhomdoeshebelong?Wherecan hecallhome?Whatdoesheidentifyas?Toremedythisconflict,hecreateshisownnationoftwo, whichisdestroyeduponthedeathofhiswife,Helga.Thecreationofthisfakenation,usinghisown languageofhisownfreewill,isanactofassaultingthepsychologicalviolencedoneonhimbyauthority figures. TheuseoforiginallanguageisalsohowCampbellattemptstoseparatehimselffromtheworld aroundhim,andnurturehisindividuality.Hisplaysandlanguageareromanticizedandpeacefulthe antithesisoftheworldhelivesin.E.S.ValgarssonbelievesthatCampbellsforemostidentityis"a poetandaplaywright,aromanticdreamerwhoseinnerselfisnevertouchedbytheplotsandschemes whichhisexternalpersonalitiesareinvolvedin"(Valgarsson,21).ThisidentityiswhatCampbellseems towanttowritehimselfashowever,heisnotabletobecomeanindividualthroughhisownuseof language,sinceallheisdoingiswritingmorepartsforhimselftopretendtobe.Onecantsitata drawingboardandplanthisiswhoImgoingtobe.Infact,Campbellissoabsorbedintheideathat identitiesareflexibleandinterchangeablethatheseesthechancetobeanAmericanagentasan opportunityforsomeprettygrandacting"(Vonnegut,39).Theideaofbecominganagentistoo dramaticforCampbelltopassup.He"acceptsonlybecausetheroleappealstohimasaromantic, lettinghisoutsidelifebesacrificedtoaninnertruthonlyheknows"(Valgarsson,20).Campbellthinks thatthisroleasanAmericanspywillconnecthimwithwhatheenjoys:romanticplaysandtheroles

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thatareapartofthem.Heseesthisopportunityasawayofexpressingwhathelikes,asnurturinghis ownego,buthesonlyfoolinghimself. Hemightbefoolinghisaudienceaswell.WhenconsideringtheextenttowhichCampbellis confusedaboutwhoheis,andhowhislanguageisalsocontrolledbyauthorities,itsdifficultforthe readertounderstandwhatistruthandwhatisfabrication.InthecaseofCampbellsmemoirs,one wouldthinkthatCampbellwouldhavelittlereasontolie,asheisnowaprisonerawaitingtrial,andhas nothingelsetolose.However,he'sturnedhiswholelifeintoatheatricalperformance"(Valgarsson, 20).ItsdifficultforonetotellifCampbellsmemoirisnotjustanotheroneofhisplays.ThomasMarvin assertsthatthetensionbetweenCampbellsidealselfandtherolethatheplaysripshimapart(73). TowhatextenthasCampbellbeenrippedapart?Hashislanguagebeensostifled,andhispsycheso violated,thathehasdecidedtoerasesomeofhishistoryandrewriteitinhisownhand?Valgarsson statesthatthememoiritselfis,aboveall,asearchforhistrueidentity"(21).Consideringthemoralof thestory,wearewhatwepretendtobe,sowemustbecarefulaboutwhatwepretendtobe (Vonnegut,v),itisentirelypossiblethatCampbellis,throughthewritingofhismemoir,pretendingtobe someoneelse.ButlikemanyelementsofMotherNight,nothingisrootedinfact,andisleftto speculation.Thisconflictthatissoprevalentathemeinthenovelconnectstothecommunicative paradigmofwarinwhichpeoplemustsurreptitiouslycommunicateinfalsehoodsorinthreats. Knowledgeofjusthowaccuratethememoirwereadisfurthermuddledbythefactthatithas beeneditedbyVonneguthimself.Althoughthememoirisfictitious,andVonnegutseditorsnoteis fake,thewaythememoirispresentedmakesthetruthevenmorehazy.Campbellhimselfmayhave alteredhismemoriesandhistorybyusinghisownlanguage,butnowtheeditor,Vonnegut,hasthe

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powertochangethetruthevenmorewithhisediting.Ontopofthat,Vonnegutseditisbeingeditedby thepublishingcompanyslawyer,whofeelsobligatedtoomitorredactsomecontentinordertoprevent slander(Vonnegut,xi).Allofthisframeworkisjustpartofthenovel,butitsanotherexampleofhow language,andthetruth,canbealteredbyanauthorityfigure.Campbellistheauthorityofhismemory andhishistory.VonnegutistheauthorityofthememoirCampbellwrote.Finally,thepublishing companyslawyeristheevenhigherauthorityofVonnegutsedits.Asaresult,thereexiststhe possibilitythatthelanguageofthememoirhasbeeneditedandalteredandviolatedinaplethoraof ways,leavingthereadertowonderwhatisreal,andwhathasbeenwrittenoreditedbywhom. Violencehasbeendoneonthememoiritself.Throughthediscipliningandcontrolofitslanguage,the truthisnotabletobeentirelyseen.LikewithCampbell,thememoirsidentityhasbeenassaulted,as authorityfigureshavethepowertoalterit. Besidespsychologicalviolence,therearecertainscenesinthebookwheretheviolence transcendstheboundsofthehumanpsycheandisexpressedphysically.Adheringtothenovelstheme, manycharacterseventuallybecometherolesthattheyplay(Marvin,72).Inplayingtheseroles,the charactersstickwiththecommunicationparadigmofusingthelanguageofwhotheyarepretendingto be,languagethatisfarfromthetruth.Eventually,somecharactersshattertheserolesandexpresstheir trueselves,thereforebreakingthepreviouscommunicationparadigm.Oncethisparadigmisbrokenby thecommunicationoftruth,violenceensues.Forexample,neartheendofthenovel,CampbelltellsResi andKraftthatheknowstheyarespieswhoaretryingtogethimtoRussia.Thetruthisouted,andthe rolesofResiandKrafthavebeenshattered.AfterCampbellrevealsthemasspies,araidoccursin whichviolenceoncharacteridentitytransitionstophysicalviolence.Resi,whoplaystheroleofHelga,

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endsherlifeverydramaticallyandromantically,asthoughacharacterinaplay(Marvin,73).She becametherolethatshewasplaying,admittingtoCampbellthatIwasntgoingtogothroughwithit becauseIloveyou(Vonnegut,218).Herlanguageisverymelodramatic,asthoughherreallifeidentity isactuallyacharacterinaplay:Iwillshowyouawomanwhodiesforlive(Vonnegut,230).In performingthisrole,andusingthelanguageofacharactershewastoldtoperformas,violencewas doneuponheridentity.Thisviolencepressurizedtosuchextremelevelsthatitwasexpelledinaphysical formwhereshekillsherself.Atthenovelsveryend,violenceisdoneuponCampbellwhenhealso choosestokillhimself(atleast,onecaninterprettheendingthisway).WhileimprisonedinIsrael, CampbellisinformedbyWirtanenthathewillbeabletobefreed.Nauseatedbythisprospect, CampbelldecidestohangHowardW.Campbell,Jr.forcrimesagainsthimself(Vonnegut,268). Campbellcannolongerhandletheviolencethathasbeendoneonhisindividuality.JustlikewithResi, theviolencebecomesphysicalashe,too,decidestoendhislife. Suchadramaticandextremegestureisastatementofjusthowimportantitistodevelopan individualidentity.MotherNightsuggeststhathumanidentitiesarenotunifiedandcoherentbutmerely thesumofallthedifferentroleswechoosetoplay(Marvin,72).Inchoosingthesedifferentrolesto play,thecharactersarenotabletoreflectontheirownindividuality,andthuslosetheirsenseof personalidentity.Theyareallcharactersinaplay,forcedtoplaytheirrolebyafigureofauthoritywho handsthemthescriptandsaysaction!Bytakingawaythefreeagencyofthecharacterslanguage, violencewreckstheirpsyches,whichthenclimaxeswithviolenceinthephysicalform.Thenovelshows usthatlanguageisapowerfultoolthatcancauseexcessiveharmandviolence.Languagecanmake lives,anditcanruinthem.

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WorksCited Dawes,James.TheLanguageofWar.Cambridge,MA:HarvardUP,2002.Web.25Apr.2013. Marvin,ThomasF.KurtVonnegut:ACriticalCompanion.Westport,CT:GreenwoodPress, 2002.Web.25Apr.2013. Valgarsson,E.S.TheMadnessofSanity:AStudyofKurtVonnegutsMotherNight. UniversityofIceland,May2009.Web.25Apr.2013. Vonnegut,Kurt.MotherNight.NewYork:TheDialPress,2006.Print.