Finding a Place Where Kurt Vonnegut and Paul McCartney Hold Hands

Both “Eleanor Rigby” and “Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow” describe the aim to find a place for human beings, either in reference to an emotional or physical place.   In “Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow,” Vonnegut writes, “...there really used to be all that space between cities,” indicating that there is little or no physical space left on Earth to support the exponentially increasing population.  This lack of space creates a permanent search for privacy, individuality, and comfort.  The main characters find privacy and comfort, but the rest of the world continues to search.  Similarly, in “Eleanor Rigby,” the Beatles explain, “All the lonely people, where do they all belong?”  Paul McCartney, the main vocalist of “Eleanor Rigby,” sings about finding a place for “all the lonely people,” however, the main protagonist of the song, Eleanor Rigby, is able to live alone.  Physical space is not a demand in the song, instead, the Beatles sing about an emotional state.  The other character in the song, Father McKenzie, looks for people to “save.” McCartney even sings, “Why does he care?” proving that Father McKenzie’s emotional happiness comes from helping others, another indication that the place McCartney sings about is not physical.  While the characters in both stories come from very different worlds, they share similar goals and failures.