Kurt Vonnegut Views on the Seasons: Why did he believe there are Six Seasons Instead of the Traditional Four?

Kurt Vonnegut Views On the Seasons.

Kurt Vonnegut was an American writer, humorist, and war hero, known for his satirical, darkly humorous novels. Over a career that spanned more than 50 years, he wrote over thirteen novels, five nonfiction works, five plays, and three short-story collections.

In his book If This Isn’t Nice, What Is?, Vonnegut shared a unique take on the seasons, suggesting there are actually six seasons, not four.

Along with spring, summer, autumn, and winter, he added two more seasons: “Locking” and “Unlocking.”

For Vonnegut, these transitional periods, when nature is either coming to life or winding down—are when true transformation happens

When Vonnegut talks about “Locking,” he’s basically saying, “Alright, nature’s getting ready to take a nap.” 🙂

It’s that cozy time when everything feels like it’s tucking in for the winter.

The trees drop their leaves, animals find their cozy spots, and winter is getting ready to show up.

Then there’s “Unlocking.”

This is when nature starts waking up from its long winter sleep.

That’s when flowers started to peek out, animals started chattering again, and suddenly, everything feels alive again.

It’s like nature saying, “Alright, winter, you had your moment; now let’s bring on the sunshine!”

Vonnegut noticed that spring doesn’t always feel like spring, and November just doesn’t fit with fall—don’t you agree?

So, he broke it down like this:

• Spring is May and June.
• Summer is July and August.
• Autumn is September and October.

And then comes the season he called “locking.”

That’s when nature shuts everything down, writes Vonnegut.

November and December aren’t really winter either. He called these months the “locking seasons.” The real winter, as he puts it, starts in January and February.

So, what comes after that?

Not spring.

It’s unlocking.

Vonnegut said, “What else could April be?”

“It’s like the seasons are doing a little dance,” he remarked, “taking a moment to either get cozy or shake things up a bit.”

So why did Vonnegut add these extra seasons?

Maybe he figured, “Why settle for just four seasons when you can throw in a couple of appetizers and desserts?” 🙂

In his quirky view, these in-between moments aren’t just weather changes; they’re simply nature’s way of doing a little cha-cha between the more predictable seasons of spring, summer, fall, and winter.

So, next time you feel a chill or smell flowers blooming, think of Vonnegut’s extra seasons.

Realize that nature isn’t just sticking to a script.

Oh it’s going to throw in a few surprise moves to keep us on our toes.

…

Have a blessed day