Report on the Barnhouse Effect

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"Report on the Barnhouse Effect"
Author Kurt Vonnegut
Country  USA
Language English
Genre(s) Short story
Published in Collier's Weekly (1st release)
Publication type Magazine
Media type Print (Periodical)
Publication date 1950

"Report on the Barnhouse Effect" is the first Kurt Vonnegut's ever wrote and published short story.[1] It originally appeared in September 1950 in Collier's Weekly. It is also part of the collection Welcome to the Monkey House.[2]

Contents

[edit] Plot summary

The protagonist, Professor Arthur Barnhouse, develops the ability to affect physical objects and events through the force of his mind. He calls his power 'dynamo-psychism'. He makes the mistake of telling the government about his power. When they try to turn him into a weapon, Barnhouse decides that he is the first weapon with a conscience, and subsequently goes into hiding. While in this reclusive state the Professor uses his 'dynamo-psychic' powers to destroy large quantities of weapons, and other things used in states of war. He realizes though, that he will die eventually and decides to pass down his "powers" to an ex-student. The story is told as a report by this ex-student, hence the title.

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