In "Bluebeard," Vonnegut's central theme is the value of art and, specifically, whether that value depends upon meaning. This dichotomy between representational and non-representational art had been raised a number of times in his previous novels, most notably in "Breakfast of Champions," where the protagonist of "Bluebeard," Rabo Karabekian, was first introduced. In that earlier novel, Karabekian effectively defends the proclivities of the Abstract Expressionists, but in "Bluebeard," his defense is qualified by the idea that while a given piece of art may have meaning to the artist, without an explicit subject, that meaning will forever remain a private affair, and that nothing of it will -- or can -- be communicated. In this sense, "Bluebeard" makes the case, however implicitly, that non-representational art is isolating to the individual, whereas representational art cultivates relationships and community. Despite tempering this conclusion in the form of the character of Dan Gregory (a seemingly sociopathic representational artist), it is, nonetheless, a conclusion hammered home by the novel's climax.

It is also interesting to note that the theme of isolation versus community is also a reflection of Vonnegut's own work, and that this novel, like the secret hidden in Karabekian's potato barn, is Vonnegut's way of embracing his readers. Unlike so many of his other novels, "Bluebeard" is decidedly bereft of meaningless, random occurrences. Karabekian, in fact, playfully implies, at several points, that even seeming coincidences may have meaning and purpose. This is one Vonnegut novel with a clear, unambiguous, and happy ending, in which the alienated protagonist makes peace with himself and the world which, until the climax, he holds perpetually at arm's length.

Before re-reading this work, I had pegged "Deadeye Dick" as Vonnegut's last novel-length masterpiece. I find myself revising my opinion.