Cat's Cradle Research Paper
by Chris Russo
Kurt Vonnegut, critically acclaimed author of several
best-selling novels, uses self-expression and psychological
manipulation to stress to the reader his beliefs and ideas
dispersed within the context of Cat's Cradle. From reading
this novel, one might attribute perplexity pondering over
the plot and general story line of the book. Cat's Cradle
entangles itself in many interesting changes of events;
strange outlandish ideas and psychological "black holes" can
be found with just the flip of a page.
However, Vonnegut purposely uses this technique. It
takes an open-minded reader to comprehend the intricate and
explicit meaning behind Vonnegut's literature. Vonnegut
wrote Cat's Cradle, not for the plot, but more as an outlet
for his psychological viewpoints. This is exemplified with
the opening line "Call me Jonah" (Vonnegut 11). The line is
a parody of the first line of Melville's most-famous Moby
Dick. Literary critic Peter Reed points out that "it is
characteristic that Vonnegut's speaker should be a Jonah,
who does in effect get swallowed by the whale, rather than
a whale-hunting Ishmael" (Reed 124). If the reader was to
examine the use of this line, he would recognize that
Vonnegut's intent and purpose is not to provide a reasonable
and serious plot. If one does not realize this while
reading, he is overwhelmed by symbols and characters whose
only true purpose is to further express the author's ideas.
The novel does, however have a plot. First we meet our
narrator, Jonah. Jonah intends to right a book called The
Day the World Ended which is to be about events in the lives
of well known individuals on August 6, 1945, when the atomic
bomb was dropped on Hiroshima. The first person he contacts
is the son of Dr. Felix Hoenikker, one of the fathers of the
bomb. When Newton ("Newt") Hoenikker replies, he reveals
information about his past years and his family. Newt's
mother had passed away leaving Angela, her unattractive
six-foot daughter, in control of the family. As it turned
out, his father never paid much attention to his family, and
especially held little or no interest in the bomb itself
that day. On that day, he had been standing around his study
playing with a loop of string. He twisted it around his
fingers in the shape of a cat's cradle and approached little
Newt. Newt, having never really received any attention from
his father saw his ugly, cigar- reeking face up close and
got scared and ran outside. The cat's cradle becomes
a recurring item, a motif even, hence the novel's title.
Newt had an older brother as well. Frank Hoenikker had left
never to be seen again on the date of his father's funeral.
Newton becomes our protagonist and his life and actions are
frequently discussed throughout the book. In a nutshell, the
three Hoenikker children are each in possession of father's
invention: "ice-nine". Each crystal has the power to freeze
water at any temperature of about 120 degrees or lower.
One recurring idea in the book is the idea of Bokonism:
a religion founded by Bokonon who is living on the Republic
of San Lorenzo; of which Frank Hoenikker is also discovered
living. Jonah is a follower of this religion so he is
constantly informing the reader of Bokononist ideas and
principles. The ice-nine eventually diffuses itself into the
water, thus causing a chain reaction that brings about the
end of the world. The only survivors left on the island are
Jonah, his new found wife, and Bokonon, as well as some
other minor characters. The books denouement leaves the
reader with a very interesting idea. This desolate rock
(Earth) is now covered with this blue-white frost of which,
once touched to the lips of a man, freezes him as solid as
metal. Most survivors felt the need to live no longer so
they touched the frosty solution to their lips. Jonah's wife
leaves the world and joins the many before her as she also
ends her life through the same process.
In the final pages Jonah finally meets Bokonon, the
creator of his religion who has taught him, through his many
books, how to live, work and pray. Jonah finds the old man
sitting on a rock on the island. He approaches him and
notices he holds a pencil in one hand and paper in the
other. When Jonah asks Bokonon what he is thinking, his
reply is that Bokonon is finally completing the last entry
of his many books*. He hands Jonah the piece of paper and he
reads:
"If I were a younger man, I would write a history
of human stupidity; and I would climb to the top of
Mount McCabe and lie down on my back with my
history for a pillow; and I would take from the
ground some of the blue-white poison that makes
statues of men; and I would make a statue of
myself, lying on my back, grinning horribly, and
thumbing my nose at You Know Who" (Vonnegut 191).
Well examined by critic Peter Reed, "We are left to assume
that the [history] is the one we have read, which would
also, of course, satisfy Jonah's original intention of
writing The Day the World Ended " (Reed 124).
The theme of this novel is nowhere directly stated, and
is also not obviously defined any where in Vonnegut's
writing. However, Vonnegut most likely intends to
concentrate on the powerful lies that can form the
foundation of a society as a whole. Though there may have
been lack of clarity to well define the theme, the novel
still provided many interesting ideas and principles.
Vonnegut's view on religion is certainly controversial and
religion was one topic of which Vonnegut seemed to feel very
comfortable criticizing.
Bokonon was Vonnegut's "excuse" or rather outlet for
discussion on the topic of religion. The Books of Bokonon
were full of ideas and philosophies. Vonnegut quotes the
opening lines of the Books as he writes "Anyone unable to
understand how a useful religion can be founded on lies will
not understand this book either" (Vonnegut 14). Vonnegut
makes it evident that religion is full of lies and that the
only purpose of religion is to provide answers for man.
Bokonon himself writes that his books are full of lies.
Bokonon included in his books many calypsos which explain
some of his aspects and his point of view. The following
calypso tells about when Bokonon first arrived on San
Lorenzo and began to establish a religion and a definite way
of life for the inhabitants.
I wanted all things
To seem to make some sense,
So we all could be happy, yes,
Instead of tense.
And I made up lies
So that they fit nice,
And I made this sad world
A par-a-dise (Vonnegut 90).
Though Vonnegut writes that these are the words of
Bokonon. Vonnegut is the author of the book; and because
Bokonon is a fictional character, these are therefore the
author's words. Whether or not these are the authors true
viewpoints, it is not for anyone to say. Yet it still brings
up a point:
Vonnegut created within this novel, a very well highly
detailed religion. He covers, in the context of the novel,
every important aspect and develops a book of worship
comparable to the Holy Bible in the way that it provides
a way of living, rules of life (similar to "sins" in the
Christian religion), and even a God. Bokonon's main ideas
though were that nothing is to be held more holy that man
himself, and life is pre-determined. Reed makes this
observation as well. Reed points out how Bokonism assumes
that "things do not just happen, they are meant to happen"
(Reed 126). He also mentions a very important aspect of this
theory:
"Bokonists always say 'as it was meant to happen,'
instead of 'as it happened.' Bokonon develops this
concept when so many coincidences shape his travels
that he decides something is trying to get him
somewhere for some purpose. In Bokonist terms,
however, it translates roughly as saying there is
no decipherable meaning in the workings of the
world, but we can play as if there were some "(Reed
126).
Even though Vonngeut never outright states that the
preceding quotes were of his personal beliefs, the thoughts
still make a reader wonder. It is so interesting that
Vonnegut does create this religion full of lies because, it
may even seem that he is questioning the content of truth in
a real religion. However, nowhere in his novel does he
actually do this.
This is Vonnegut's method of psychological
manipulation. Bokononism, though not stated as the focus of
the book, still seems to be Vonnegut's concentration. He
does not force the reader to think this way; neither does he
even try to convince the reader to think this way, yet he
chooses to write about a topic with so many unanswered
questions.
Perhaps the most interesting of Reed's observations is
"In Cat's Cradle there are, in a sense, three
writers at work. There is Vonnegut the author, and
within the world he creates Jonah, and within the
story he narrates, Bokonon writing his Books. All
three seem aware that as the 'Editor's Note' to
Mother Night [another of Vonnegut's books] says,
'lies told for the sake of artistic effect...can
be, in a higher sense, the most beguiling forms of
truth.' And vice versa "(Reed 125).
The thing that is different, comparatively to other
novels, is that the author does not try to have Jonah become
a symbol of his actual life. Many times an author will take
a character and make him live a life throughout the book.
And in many of these cases, the author's life is often times
close to the life of the main character in the novel- even
when the book is "completely fictional". Vonnegut has gone
one step higher though. He imagined a completely new world.
He makes it clear in his novel that the lives of these
characters are completely fictional. The coincidences are
too much in favor of the characters for them to be based on
or symbolic of real people. Vonnegut makes it evident that
he uses these characters to each implant ideas into the
story line of the novel. These ideas are not drilled into
the reader's head, yet they float in the contents of the
book left only to be picked up by the him or her. Apparently
this is very characteristic of Vonnegut because many people
think that "If one had to select the novel which best
examplifies the methods and techniques of Kurt Vonnegut,
there would be plenty of good reasons for choosing Cat's
Cradle" (Reed 119). Reed also states that "Cat's Cradle
illustrates almost every device, technique, attitude and
subject we encounter in Vonnegut" (Reed 119).
In conclusion, the reader should be reminded that the
author uses Cat's Cradle as a way of communicating his own
thoughts. The novel was used as an outlet almost as a way
for the author to "empty his head". Vonnegut's method of
expressing himself was mainly through "his" fictional
religion of Bokonism. Through the use of this religion he is
able to freely able to express himself and express his
viewpoints without feeling that he is speaking against
religion; this is because these are not "his" beliefs, they
belong to the "religion". Obviously, Vonnegut is the creator
of this religion, yet he still can use the excuse of
claiming all ideas to be fictional.
Vonnegut's approach at writing this novel is
interesting in his use of two "authors" within the book
itself. They are simply used as communicators- perhaps even
comparable to translators to the effect that they interpret
Vonnegut's mind for the reader. Vonnegut's use of satire
stares the reader in the face as the author clearly states
that any religion could be based entirely on shameless, yet
harmless, lies. Vonnegut's style is one that, even though
perhaps offensive to an extremely religious reader, still
grabs the attention. The entire book is full of bits and
pieces that appear to be symbolic as they grab the
attention, but are only important in the context in which
they are used, and continue to have no further meaning. So
while the reader continues to comprehend, expecting to find
out what these "symbols" represent, Vonnegut plants
sub-concious ideas that eventually take effect. To put it
simply, Cat's Cradle might be considered a "thinking-novel".
Vonnegut's excellent technique and unique style are
unbelievably powerful. The thought-provoking text and
incredibly-well developed characters are not to be forgotten
either. It would be an understatement to say that Cat's
Cradle is a commendable literary work. Vonnegut has
certainly composed a masterpiece to be unforgotten and
talked about for years to come.
Works Cited:
Reed, Peter J. Kurt Vonnegut Jr. (Writers for the 70's).
New York: Warner Books, Inc., 1972
Vonnegut, Kurt. Cat's Cradle.
New York: Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing
Group, Inc., 1963.
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Last modified: March 11, 2002