| "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 short story written and published by Kurt Vonnegut.[1] It originally appeared in the February 11, 1950 issue of Collier's Weekly. It is also part of the collection Welcome to the Monkey House.[2]
Contents |
The story takes the form of a report written by an ex-student of the story's protagonist, Professor Arthur Barnhouse. A year and a half before the writing of the report the professor develops the ability to affect physical objects and events through the force of his mind; he comes to call this power 'dynamo-psychism', while the press adopts the term 'the Barnhouse effect'. When Barnhouse makes the mistake of informing the US government of his newfound abilities, they try to turn him into a weapon. When the program is successful Barnhouse, declaring himself the world's 'first weapon with a conscience', flees and goes into hiding. While in this reclusive state Barnhouse uses his dynamo-psychic powers to destroy all nuclear and conventional weapon stockpiles, along with other military technologies. Realising, however, that he remains mortal, and that nothing will stop the world from resuming war when he dies, he decides to pass down his "powers" to someone younger. This someone is revealed to be the writer of the report that forms the story.