Breakfast of Champions: Satire 3 key examples

At first, the primary example is race. In Chapter One, Vonnegut declares that "color is everything." Then, for most of the book, he introduces characters by announcing that they "were white" or "were black," often before giving readers any other information. Later, other descriptors emerge. About halfway through the novel, Vonnegut catalogues the penis size and hip, waist, and bosom dimensions of most of his characters; from that point on, he introduces characters using these attributes. 

These latter two descriptions clarifies Vonnegut's attitude towards this technique: by introducing characters based on physical attributes that, despite their crassness, have obtained some kind of cultural value in America, Vonnegut illuminates the arbitrariness of these values and the ridiculousness of caring so much about them. This attitude also applies to his use of this technique to refer to race. By spotlighting the absurd and arbitrary ways racism manifests in society, Vonnegut advocates for equality and fairness. 

Broadly, this technique is part of Vonnegut's declared project of "trying to clear [his] head of all the junk in there." By exposing precisely what that "junk" is in a direct, no-frills manner, Vonnegut can identify it as "junk" and strip it of its value and importance. Crass, humorous, or offensive references to physical attributes throughout the novel seek to expose and remedy a variety of things upon which society places cultural, sexual, or social value.

This paragraph alludes explicitly to the fact that "Breakfast of Champions" is a registered trademark of General Mills, used to advertise breakfast cereals. By blatantly acknowledging the trademark, Vonnegut points to the absurdity of the concept of a trademark: though the words of the title of this book and the General Mills trademark are identical, the meaning of the phrase is so different that the comparison is absurd. With this allusion, and particularly with the sarcasm of the last clause of the paragraph, Vonnegut both condemns the idea of owning a set of words and points out that meaning often depends on context. 

The notion that meaning is contextual and mobile is supported by the fact that the paragraph recurs twice in the novel: it's repeated exactly on pages 199-200, in Chapter 18. Though it is identical in each instance, its context and tone render it distinctly different. Broadly, Vonnegut's allusion to the General Mills trademark "Breakfast of Champions" satirizes the very notion of a trademark, pokes fun at the idea that it is possible to own a set of words, and illustrates the way that even when you own a set of words, it is impossible to own its meaning. 

This line uses stark juxtaposition to satirize Thomas Jefferson and expose the hypocrisy of simultaneously enslaving people and theorizing about human liberty. The effectiveness of this satire relies heavily on Vonnegut's direct, no-frills style. By placing two juxtaposing facts in close proximity without mediation or commentary, Vonnegut lets his readers do the work of noticing the contradiction at play and thereby condemning Jefferson's actions. 

This is a good example of Vonnegut's satire because it is meant not only as a critique of Jefferson but also of the broader way ideas have material impact and can hide unjust truths. Though Vonnegut condemns Thomas Jefferson's actions, his real focus is on the way in which Jefferson's legacy operates in the modern world: he is thought of as highly moral, important to remember, and worth naming a school after, but many of the immoral facts of his life have been forgotten or glossed over. By exposing these facts, Vonnegut critiques stories that misrepresent the realities of America and its history. This is the real project of his satire: to expose contradictions and injustices for the sake of helping people tell stories and histories more clearly, more accurately, and more fairly.

This paragraph alludes explicitly to the fact that "Breakfast of Champions" is a registered trademark of General Mills, used to advertise breakfast cereals. By blatantly acknowledging the trademark, Vonnegut points to the absurdity of the concept of a trademark: though the words of the title of this book and the General Mills trademark are identical, the meaning of the phrase is so different that the comparison is absurd. With this allusion, and particularly with the sarcasm of the last clause of the paragraph, Vonnegut both condemns the idea of owning a set of words and points out that meaning often depends on context. 

The notion that meaning is contextual and mobile is supported by the fact that the paragraph recurs twice in the novel: it's repeated exactly on pages 199-200, in Chapter 18. Though it is identical in each instance, its context and tone render it distinctly different. Broadly, Vonnegut's allusion to the General Mills trademark "Breakfast of Champions" satirizes the very notion of a trademark, pokes fun at the idea that it is possible to own a set of words, and illustrates the way that even when you own a set of words, it is impossible to own its meaning.