{"id":{"repo_id":"unt","oai_identifier":"info:ark/67531/metadc4155"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/unt/info:ark/67531/metadc4155","repository":{"repo_id":"unt","name":"University of North Texas","base_url":"https://digital.library.unt.edu/oai/"},"display":{"title":"The Concept of Dignity in the Early Science Fiction Novels of Kurt Vonnegut.","abstract":"Kurt Vonnegut's early science fiction novels depict societies and characters that, as in the real world, have become callous and downtrodden. These works use supercomputers, aliens, and space travel, often in a comical manner, to demonstrate that the future, unless people change their concepts of humanity, will not be the paradise of advanced technology and human harmony that some may expect. In fact, Vonnegut suggests that the human condition may gradually worsen if people continue to look further and further into the universe for happiness and purpose. To Vonnegut, the key to happiness is dignity, and this key is to be found within ourselves, not without.","abstract_html":"Kurt Vonnegut's early science fiction novels depict societies and characters that, as in the real world, have become callous and downtrodden. These works use supercomputers, aliens, and space travel, often in a comical manner, to demonstrate that the future, unless people change their concepts of humanity, will not be the paradise of advanced technology and human harmony that some may expect. In fact, Vonnegut suggests that the human condition may gradually worsen if people continue to look further and further into the universe for happiness and purpose. To Vonnegut, the key to happiness is dignity, and this key is to be found within ourselves, not without.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Dye, Scott Allen"],"institution":"University of North Texas","degree_name":null,"degree_level":null,"degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Baird, James L.","Simpkins, Scott, 1958-","Tanner, James T. F."],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2003,"date_issued":"2003-05","date_published":"2003-05","updated_at":"2026-07-24T05:35:09Z","subjects":["Vonnegut, Kurt -- Criticism and interpretation.","Dignity.","humanity","aliens","space travel","human condition","fiction"],"languages":["English"],"rights":["Use restricted to UNT Community","Copyright","Dye, Scott Allen","Copyright is held by the author, unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved."],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["oclc: 53090841","https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc4155/","ark: ark:/67531/metadc4155"],"render_values":[{"text":"oclc: 53090841","href":null,"code":true},{"text":"https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc4155/","href":"https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc4155/","code":true},{"text":"ark: ark:/67531/metadc4155","href":null,"code":true}]}]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://doi.org/10.12794/metadc4155","outbound_label":"DOI","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Baird, James L.","Simpkins, Scott, 1958-","Tanner, James T. F."]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Dye, Scott Allen"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date","label":"Dc Date","values":["2003-05"]},{"key":"dc:publisher","label":"Institution","values":["University of North Texas"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Thesis or Dissertation"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Vonnegut, Kurt -- Criticism and interpretation.","Dignity.","humanity","aliens","space travel","human condition","fiction"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language","label":"Dc Language","values":["English"]},{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["Use restricted to UNT Community","Copyright","Dye, Scott Allen","Copyright is held by the author, unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved."]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["oclc: 53090841","doi: 10.12794/metadc4155","https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc4155/","ark: ark:/67531/metadc4155"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description","label":"Description","values":["Kurt Vonnegut's early science fiction novels depict societies and characters that, as in the real world, have become callous and downtrodden. These works use supercomputers, aliens, and space travel, often in a comical manner, to demonstrate that the future, unless people change their concepts of humanity, will not be the paradise of advanced technology and human harmony that some may expect. In fact, Vonnegut suggests that the human condition may gradually worsen if people continue to look further and further into the universe for happiness and purpose. To Vonnegut, the key to happiness is dignity, and this key is to be found within ourselves, not without."]},{"key":"dc:format","label":"Dc Format","values":["Text"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["The Concept of Dignity in the Early Science Fiction Novels of Kurt Vonnegut."]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Baird, James L.","Simpkins, Scott, 1958-","Tanner, James T. F."],"dc:creator":["Dye, Scott Allen"],"dc:date":["2003-05"],"dc:description":["Kurt Vonnegut's early science fiction novels depict societies and characters that, as in the real world, have become callous and downtrodden. These works use supercomputers, aliens, and space travel, often in a comical manner, to demonstrate that the future, unless people change their concepts of humanity, will not be the paradise of advanced technology and human harmony that some may expect. In fact, Vonnegut suggests that the human condition may gradually worsen if people continue to look further and further into the universe for happiness and purpose. To Vonnegut, the key to happiness is dignity, and this key is to be found within ourselves, not without."],"dc:format":["Text"],"dc:identifier":["oclc: 53090841","doi: 10.12794/metadc4155","https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc4155/","ark: ark:/67531/metadc4155"],"dc:language":["English"],"dc:publisher":["University of North Texas"],"dc:rights":["Use restricted to UNT Community","Copyright","Dye, Scott Allen","Copyright is held by the author, unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved."],"dc:subject":["Vonnegut, Kurt -- Criticism and interpretation.","Dignity.","humanity","aliens","space travel","human condition","fiction"],"dc:title":["The Concept of Dignity in the Early Science Fiction Novels of Kurt Vonnegut."],"dc:type":["Thesis or Dissertation"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T05:35:09Z"}