Today in class we talked at length about authority in the novel and how a major theme may be developing. At the end of chapter 6, we are still under the impression that Rumfoord is the ultimate authority on both Earth and Mars. What other relationships are there in the novel that are similar to this power relationship that Rumfoord has with Earth and Mars, and visa versa? If these relationships are similar, how are they similar? How are they different? How can they tie into something that is externally suggested by Vonnegut? i.e. what is Kurt trying to poke fun at or satirize with his power relationships in the novel?

n.b. don’t feel as though you have to answer every question posed here, if you have a theory about one part of it, feel free to leave a comment.

Tony