Is "The Sirens of Titan" Truly a Science Fiction Novel?

Kurt Vonnegut is known as one of the most renowned science fiction writers of all time.
Many have agreed that science fiction should show how man gains knowledge through the use of technology and science and more importantly, how man can use that knowledge to his advantage. However, science fiction concepts have to be plausible and reasonable (1). The term Science Fiction was coined around 1951; this was close to the time Vonnegut was writing The Sirens of Titan in the 1950's. This new genre, introduced to America in the middle of the 20th century, was obsessed with space and the future. It would be understandable that Vonnegut was fascinated with space and the future because he was living in a time when the space race was happening.

At a first glance The Sirens of Titan appears to belong to the science fiction genre entirely. At the beginning of the novel, there is a scene where the president announces the New Age of Space and claims that Space is a frontier that hold opportunities for America. The president plans to develop programs to build spaceships in order to relieve unemployment and help the economy (2). The futuristic setting of the novel in the 22nd century is also a characteristic of the science fiction genre. However, something is considered science fiction if it is plausible and agreeable with the scientific laws of nature; once an idea crosses this line, it is no longer considered science fiction, it is considered fantasy because it is unimaginable. As the novel continues we discover that a large group of humans, who are controlled by antennas, are being trained by one man (who travels through space and time) in order to fight a war against Earth. In 1959, the year the book was published, it was entirely plausible for a dictator to take over a large group of people. Also while the novel was being written, the space age was beginning with Russia's launch of Sputnik. At this time, it seems reasonable that Vonnegut may have imagined that in the 22nd century, humans would be on Mars and even other planets. All of these details fall under the science fiction genre. However, the role of Winston Niles Rumfoord caught in the "chrono-synclastic infundibula" traveling from planet to planet, materializing on earth, and being able to see the future and read minds seems a bit of a stretch. There was no scientific research during the 1950's that implied humans would be able to do this some day. Also, in the end, it turns out the Winston Niles Rumfoord and the rest of the world has been controlled and manipulated by robots the entire time. I really do not see how this is plausible. Therefore, I am going to go ahead and call his fantasy.

Some critics claim that Vonnegut's details that involve science fiction are not only improbable but gratuitous. They believe that there is no role for them in the novel and give the reader a false impression of the science fiction genre. (3)

Others believes that the novel is not science fiction related at all. They claim that the planets and extra terestial life form are used simply to poke fun at humans. In Steven H. Silver's review of the novel, he believes that the different planets could have easily been different countries. Silver also believes that the novel does not focus on space and technology, but on human determinism. (4)

After careful consideration I believe that the novel is not science fiction and is more of a fantasy novel for a number reasons. Firstly, the first one hundred pages of the novel take place on earth and there is no real mention of other planets or any other life form on those planets. The first half of the novel deals with human life and the complicated personalities of Vonnegut's characters. This reveals that it is possible and very likely that Vonnegut did not begin the novel intending to make it a science fiction novel. In fact, Vonnegut never thought of himself as a science fiction writer until he was told he was by critics (5). Secondly, even the Tralfamadores, who are robots in Vonnegut's novel, show human characteristics and emotions. Salo, a main Tralfamadore (robot) in the novel, ends up tearing himself apart by ripping all his robot parts out because he feels depressed and useless (6). Lastly, the novel focuses entirely on the human race. Although some components of it are influenced by technology and science, it could easily have been devoid of science and still given the same message about human life. The futuristic scene and alien life form simply make the novel more interesting.

Refer to bibliography:
(1) Herbert G. Klein.
(2) The Sirens of Titan, 56
(3) Herbert G. Klein.
(4) Steven Silver.
(5) Herbert G. Klein.
(6) The Sirens of Titan, 307