30 pages 1 hour read

Kurt Vonnegut Jr.

Welcome to the Monkey House

Fiction | Short Story | Adult | Published in 1968

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

Character Analysis

Nancy McLuhan

Content Warning: The story discusses suicide and contains depictions of rape and group violence against a single person.

As the protagonist, 63-year-old Nancy is the character whose insights are most prevalent in the narration and action of the story. Nancy is described as a tall and strawberry blonde, and her looks are highly sexualized by the hostess uniform of “white lipstick, heavy eye makeup, purple body stockings with nothing underneath, and black-leather boots” (31). Hostesses, in general, are described as being “pretty, tough-minded, highly intelligent girls” (30), and Nancy’s initial skepticism of the police officer, anger toward Billy for what he might do to her, and boredom with her job and clients is indicative of this. Nancy reveals at the end of the story that she is secretly discontent with her virginity. Due to the nature of her job, Nancy does not likely have a significant other or any other relationships outside her coworkers. She seems to hold a high value for the sisterhood among the hostesses, which contributes to the betrayal that occurs when they have come to beat her and help Billy rape her. At the beginning of the story, she is scandalized that any of them would allow Billy to do such a thing, because she holds her job sacred, as it gives her value and purpose.

Related Titles

By Kurt Vonnegut Jr.

Study Guide

logo

2 B R 0 2 B

Kurt Vonnegut Jr.

2 B R 0 2 B

Kurt Vonnegut Jr.

Plot Summary

logo

Breakfast of Champions

Kurt Vonnegut Jr.

Breakfast of Champions

Kurt Vonnegut Jr.

Plot Summary

logo

Deadeye Dick

Kurt Vonnegut Jr.

Deadeye Dick

Kurt Vonnegut Jr.

Study Guide

logo

Epicac

Kurt Vonnegut Jr.

Epicac

Kurt Vonnegut Jr.

Plot Summary

logo

Fates Worse Than Death

Kurt Vonnegut Jr.

Fates Worse Than Death

Kurt Vonnegut Jr.

Study Guide

logo

Galapagos

Kurt Vonnegut Jr.

Galapagos

Kurt Vonnegut Jr.

Study Guide

logo

God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater

Kurt Vonnegut Jr.

God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater

Kurt Vonnegut Jr.

Study Guide

logo

Mother Night

Kurt Vonnegut Jr.

Mother Night

Kurt Vonnegut Jr.

Study Guide

logo

Slaughterhouse-Five

Kurt Vonnegut Jr.

Slaughterhouse-Five

Kurt Vonnegut Jr.

Study Guide

logo

The Sirens of Titan

Kurt Vonnegut Jr.

The Sirens of Titan

Kurt Vonnegut Jr.