Kurt Vonnegut's “Report on the Barnhouse Effect” is written in the form of an article. Because articles typically present factual information, this format legitimizes the ideas and events presented in the story. The blending of the narrative form within an article is an example of how postmodernist writers often mixed different formats. The article format also allows the narrator to cover events that span different time periods and locations with ease. Vonnegut uses irony and sarcasm while presenting a serious style and tone. The narrator occasionally reports blithe and funny information, such as "Gentlemen. . .as the first superweapon with a conscience, I am removing myself from your national defense stockpile."