Pianola "and" Earthquake "of Free Will And Determinism

Player Piano and Timequake, Vonnegut's first and last novels, both explore the theme of free will and predestination in modern society but the exploration in the two novels is different in depth. In Player Piano, because of mechanization and automation, few people can exercise their free will and those who have exercised their free will see no hope. It seems that the fate of human beings has been predestined. Compared with Player Piano, Timequake makes a deeper exploration of free will and predestination. Though human beings are given a chance to relive the past 10 years because of the timequake, they still cannot exercise their free will. Furthermore, the lack of free will throws the world into a mess. However, nothing but free will can save the world. When the timequake is over, Kilgore Trout who is the only person to regain his free will becomes the hero who becomes the savior of the world. The fate of human being is not predestined and free will is compatible to predestination.This thesis first analyzes the conflicts of free will and predestination in the two novels and then interprets the significance of free will and the reason why free will cannot be achieved. The importance of free will is reaffirmed. Lastly, the thesis studies how to get rid of the predestined fate and how to regain free will. Free will is not out of reach and can be regained by questioning the nature and meaning of existence and by turning to art.