“Fortitude” by Kurt Vonnegut is a story like none other. It sets the stage with an idea that makes the stomach wrench. The idea of a human head alive, decapitated from the body, is definitely sick. This is how these events went down. Dr. Frankenstein kept his love, Sylvia, alive so he could experiment on her. This experiment was not unknown however. Many people across the United States would write letters to her. She had a set of working robotic hands, and Dr. Frankenstein was able to control her emotions. Honestly, work like this is like playing God, and nothing good can come out of that. Overall this story was intended to be quite creepy, and it did so very well. The elements of the idea of a living discombobulated human head that can be controlled …show more content… It creates this illusion that shows how this idea Dr. Frankenstein has doesn't really work even though Frankenstein did everything he could to make the machine perfect. There is simply no way a machine can make somebody truly happy one hundred percent of the time Kurt Vonnegut has proven from this story to be a talented writer, both in setting and ideas. For example, take the concept of Dr. Frankenstein being able to control Sylvia's emotions. Achieving this could not have been an easy task. Dr. Frankenstein’s intelligence isn't given enough credit in this story. Although he is extremely smart, he fits the role of the “mad scientist” well. This shows that he has gone mad with power, with the power being his intelligence and capabilities to experiment. This story was extraordinary, and in some ways difficult to read. This is exactly what Vonnegut was going for, and that sets him apart from other writers. His ability to write about a creepy idea so well is definitely commendable. The concept of a severed head kept alive is one previously unthought of. For this,”Fortitude” is a short story Show More
