The Sirens of Titan

by

Kurt Vonnegut

Antennae Symbol Icon

Soldiers in the Martian army are all fitted with antennae, which force them to remain under the army’s total control. The antennae thus represent lack of free will and the question of whether it is possible to override external control. When Malachi Constant is abducted, brainwashed, and given the new name and identity of Unk, he is also fitted with an antenna. Like the other soldiers, whenever Unk thinks or does something “that a good soldier wouldn’t do,” the antenna causes him pain. The fact that everyone in the army (including the generals and doctors) wear the antennae is presented as proof that the Martian army is “democratic.” Yet the real leaders of the army, including Boaz—who are hidden among the population of soldiers—do not have antennae. The antennae thus represent the potential of technology to control people in terrifyingly absolute and hidden ways. Unlike a traditional army, with a less direct and sophisticated system of disciplinary techniques, the Martian army has absolute control over its members’ thoughts, speech, and bodily movements. In this way, the antennae relate to the novel’s exploration of free will. Obviously, the Martian army are externally controlled in a much more obvious way than ordinary people. But if free will is an illusion, it could perhaps be argued that every person has a kind of metaphorical antennae controlling their actions—albeit one they cannot see or feel. This raises questions about the possibility of disobeying the antenna. Indeed, once Unk finds the letters he’s been writing to himself, he begins to disobey the antenna, ignoring the pain and even coming to crave it as a sign that he is gaining greater understanding of the situation he is in. Ultimately, Unk is able to disobey his antenna, suggesting that freeing oneself from external control is possible, but painful. At the same time, Unk isn’t able to deviate from Rumfoord’s prophecy for his life, ultimately leaving it ambiguous as to whether it is possible to exercise free will.

Antennae Quotes in The Sirens of Titan

The The Sirens of Titan quotes below all refer to the symbol of Antennae. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Free Will vs. External Control Theme Icon
).
Chapter 4: Tent Rentals Quotes

At the hospital they even had to explain to Unk that there was a radio antenna under the crown of his skull, and that it would hurt him whenever he did something a good soldier wouldn’t ever do. The antenna also would give him orders and furnish drum music to march to. They said that not just Unk but everybody had an antenna like that—doctors and nurses and four-star generals included. It was a very democratic army, they said.

Related Characters: Malachi Constant / Unk / the Space Wanderer
Related Symbols: Antennae
Page Number: 100
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 5: Letter From an Unknown Hero Quotes

As free as it wanted to be—that’s how free the free will of Boaz was.

Related Characters: Malachi Constant / Unk / the Space Wanderer, Boaz
Related Symbols: Antennae
Page Number: 116
Explanation and Analysis:

(71.) Unk, old friend—almost everything I know for sure has come from fighting the pain from my antenna […] Whenever I start to turn my head and look at something, and the pain comes, I keep turning my head anyway, because I know I am going to see something I’m not supposed to see. Whenever I ask a question, and the pain comes, I know I have asked a really good question […] The more pain I train myself to stand, the more I learn. You are afraid of the pain now, Unk, but you won’t learn anything if you don’t invite the pain. And the more you learn, the gladder you will be to stand the pain.

Related Characters: Malachi Constant / Unk / the Space Wanderer, Stony Stevenson
Related Symbols: Antennae
Page Number: 125
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 11: We Hate Malachi Constant Because… Quotes

“Luck, good or bad,” said Rumfoord up in his treetop, is not the hand of God.”

“Luck,” said Rumfoord up in his treetop, is the way the wind swirls and the dust settles eons after God has passed by.”

Related Characters: Winston Niles Rumfoord (speaker), Malachi Constant / Unk / the Space Wanderer
Related Symbols: Antennae
Page Number: 257
Explanation and Analysis:
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The Sirens of Titan PDF

Antennae Symbol Timeline in The Sirens of Titan

The timeline below shows where the symbol Antennae appears in The Sirens of Titan. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 3: United Hotcake Preferred
Free Will vs. External Control Theme Icon
Wealth, Power, and Inequality Theme Icon
Human Intelligence, Foolishness, and Hubris Theme Icon
...three-year contract. Almost all recruits have their memories wiped when they get to Mars; radio antennae are then implanted in their skulls. The only recruits who aren’t brainwashed are those who... (full context)
Chapter 4: Tent Rentals
Free Will vs. External Control Theme Icon
Human Intelligence, Foolishness, and Hubris Theme Icon
At the hospital, the doctors and nurses explained to Unk that they had implanted an antenna in his head that would cause him pain if he did things “a good soldier... (full context)
Free Will vs. External Control Theme Icon
Human Intelligence, Foolishness, and Hubris Theme Icon
Although the man at the stake also has an antenna in his head that keeps silent, he “heroically” manages to speak, repeatedly saying Unk’s name.... (full context)
Chapter 5: Letter From an Unknown Hero
Free Will vs. External Control Theme Icon
Wealth, Power, and Inequality Theme Icon
Human Intelligence, Foolishness, and Hubris Theme Icon
...as he does so, he is hit by a shot of pain from his own antenna. He tells Boaz, “never mind,” then rushes away. Moments later, a captain arrives at the... (full context)
Free Will vs. External Control Theme Icon
Wealth, Power, and Inequality Theme Icon
Human Intelligence, Foolishness, and Hubris Theme Icon
...the point that he was actually helping Unk. As punishment, he was fitted with an antenna and forced to actively march to the stake, knowing he would be killed. (full context)
Free Will vs. External Control Theme Icon
Wealth, Power, and Inequality Theme Icon
Human Intelligence, Foolishness, and Hubris Theme Icon
...Unk as an “old friend.” The writer tells Unk that the pain caused by his antenna is linked to his ability to gain knowledge, and thus can be seen as a... (full context)
Chapter 6: A Deserter in Time of War
Free Will vs. External Control Theme Icon
Human Intelligence, Foolishness, and Hubris Theme Icon
...dismisses this as “baloney.” Chrono mentions that when he is 14, he will have an antenna installed in his head and then his choices won’t matter anyway. Chrono claims to be... (full context)
Free Will vs. External Control Theme Icon
Human Intelligence, Foolishness, and Hubris Theme Icon
The 17 recruits in Bee’s classroom have just had their memories wiped and antennae fitted, and their “eyes [are] as empty as the windows of abandoned textile mills.” Bee’s... (full context)
Free Will vs. External Control Theme Icon
Wealth, Power, and Inequality Theme Icon
Human Intelligence, Foolishness, and Hubris Theme Icon
...recruited as lieutenant-colonel in the Martian Army. Although the recruit does not yet have an antenna installed, he is so loyal to the army that he is afforded a lot of... (full context)
Chapter 10: An Age of Miracles
Free Will vs. External Control Theme Icon
Religion and the Search for Meaning Theme Icon
Wealth, Power, and Inequality Theme Icon
Human Intelligence, Foolishness, and Hubris Theme Icon
...communicate with God at all. Automatically, Brackman’s hand goes to touch the place where his antenna used to be; he misses receiving the antenna’s signals. Rumfoord’s voice booms out from the... (full context)
Chapter 11: We Hate Malachi Constant Because…
Free Will vs. External Control Theme Icon
Religion and the Search for Meaning Theme Icon
Wealth, Power, and Inequality Theme Icon
Human Intelligence, Foolishness, and Hubris Theme Icon
...As Constant walks, he is shocked to find that he is receiving signals through his antenna for the first time in years. (full context)