Report on the Barnhouse Effect

Infobox short story |
name = Report on the Barnhouse Effect
author = Kurt Vonnegut
country = flag|USA
language = English
series =
genre = Short story
published_in = "Collier's Weekly" (1st release)
publication_type = Magazine
publisher =
media_type = Print (Periodical)
pub_date = 1950
preceded_by =
followed_by = "Report on the Barnhouse Effect" is a Kurt Vonnegut short story that is part of the collection "Welcome to the Monkey House". It originally appeared in 1950 in "Collier's Weekly".

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.

References

*cite news|work=New York Times|date=August 19, 1968|author=Mitchel Levitas|title=A Slight Case of Candor|url=http://www.vonnegutweb.com/collections/wttmh_times.html

External links

* [http://shiversradio.blogspot.com/2006/06/report-on-barnhouse-effect-professor.html Radio version of "Report on the Barnhouse Effect"]