Kurt Vonnegut's Galapagos is one of the world's most famous anti-utopias. The author fantasizes about what the future of humanity can be if it continues on the path of improving knowledge and developing technology. Claiming that the main source of human problems is a too big brain, he paints a picture of the apocalypse, in which only a small group of people survive. These people fall on the fictional island in the Galapagos, where most of the events take place. The reader gets the opportunity to observe what might happen to humanity, how descendants might mutate, and how human civilization might end.
In Galapagos Vonnegut covers a time span of one million years. The beginning of the events is dated 1986 year, and this date, apparently, was not chosen by chance. In 1984 Vonnegut attempted suicide, and in 1985 his book came out, exactly one year before the events described in it begin to happen.
Of course Vonnegut did not become a soothsayer in the truest sense of the word - our world still remains the same as before. However, there is something prophetic in Galapagos. In particular this is the author's thoughts on environmental issues - Vonnegut and in his early works dealt with this subject, but so vividly it was not covered by him even once before Galapagos. Guessing the behavior of people, drawing a picture of their anti-binzonadas with clear strokes sticking to memory, Vonnegut turns out to be extremely convincing in his assumptions.
Speaking of Galapagos as well as of any other work by Vonnegut, it is impossible not to note his "firm" author's style. Corrosive irony creates laughter through tears and completely captures the reader's attention. Given that at the very beginning of the book Vonnegut reveals all the details of the plot, telling what exactly will happen to the heroes of the novel, the book remains extremely interesting. Gently holding the attention of the reader, Vonnegut reveals more and more new details, as a result of which it turns out that behind the initially voiced secret plot there is a lot of room for imagination, which the author uses.
Many people call Vonnegut one of the outstanding pessimists - humanity, if to believe what he writes in his books, is doomed to extinction, absurd, senseless, death. In Galapagos Vonnegut’s pessimism manifests itself particularly strongly - mocking the achievements of civilization, it shows how far we are today from our essence, how insignificant our chances of survival are. And it makes a tremendous impression - Vonnegut manages to draw a picture that does not leave anyone indifferent.
