Cat’s Cradle is written as a memoir by Jonah, an aspiring writer who is conducting research for his novel about Dr. Felix Hoenikker, one of the “Fathers” of the atomic bomb and the day the bomb was dropped on Hiroshima. Dr. Hoenikker has died so Jonah tracks down his co-workers and three adult children. Jonah’s quest culminates as he and the Hoenikker offspring converge on the remote island of San Lorenzo where through a simple, but unusual series of events, the world as we know it ends. And yet there is much more to Cat’s Cradle. Although Cat’s Cradle spans less than two hundred pages, the novel confronts issues of nationalism, religion, and interpersonal relationships.

Cat’s Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut Jr. was written in 1963 at a time when humanity was still reeling from World War 2, when civil rights were violently opposed and the Cold War threatened a nuclear showdown. Cat’s Cradle deals with the major issues of the time in a clever and cryptic manner. Vonnegut writes about the mechanism for world destruction, calling it Ice 9, perhaps in reference to the Cold War and the potential for planetary annihilation.

In addition, Cat’s Cradle confronts the ideas of nationalism from a dual perspective of interpersonal relationships and the individual’s connection with government and religious institutions. For example, on an interpersonal level we develop bonds with those people whom we have something in common with. According to Vonnegut, we make illogical and unimportant bonds with people based on religious or geographic upbringing. He calls this granfalloon, "a proud and meaningless association of human beings." One foolish character develops an instant affinity with those who are of her religion or from her home state of Indiana. She assumes that any person from her hometown is automatically a good person worthy of loyalty and trust.

On the other hand, Vonnegut writes about karass, referring to a group of people that each person is pre-destined to encounter, whether as friends or enemies. He writes, "Humanity is organized into teams, teams that do God's Will without ever discovering what they are doing." In Cat’s Cradle, Jonah and the people he meets during his research unknowingly contribute to the destruction of civilization.

Another significant and entertaining aspect of Cat’s Cradle is its emphasis on religion. Vonnegut cuts right into the foundation of religious tenets by creating his own fictional religion called Bokononism, equipped with its own philosophies and jargon such as duprass, a link between two people so strong that when one dies, the other dies shortly after. However, Vonnegut warns the reader that Bokononism is based on lies that are meant to conciliate followers rather than enlighten. In the First Book of Bokonon the warning reads, "Don't be a fool! Close this book at once! It is nothing but foma!" (Translation: foma = lies) Vonnegut sees religion as a blinder, meant to appease our confusion than promote understanding.

Bokononism is based on the writings of Bokonon, who with the help of Corporal Earl McCabe attempt to bring hope and civility to impoverished San Lorenzo. Corporal Earl McCabe tries to build a government, Bokonon a religion, and they purposely pit each establishment against the other, thus creating a symbiotic relationship between religion and government. The San Lorenzo government strategically outlaws Bokononism, realizing that the two establishments are meaningless without the other, to engender deeper devotion within the population.

From the Book of Bokonon:
So I said good-bye to government, And I gave my reason:
That a really good religion
Is a form of treason.

Bokonon writes about the religion’s ideology in songs or calypsos such as:

Someday, someday, this crazy world will have to end, And our God will take things back that He to us did lend.
And if, on that sad day, you want to scold our God,
Why go right ahead and scold Him. He'll just smile and nod.

The satirical, whimsical tone of the book belies the significant issues Vonnegut is addressing. He doesn’t preach to us with the fury and obtrusiveness of a Pentecostal minister, he slips it within the fictional folds of the story for the reader to discover.

Vonnegut’s style of writing is superb: efficient, concise and clear. The two hundred page novel may seem short, but the author makes every word count. I admire Vonnegut who can put meaning and clarity in one sentence, when other writers use a paragraph. Excessive words often dilute one’s message. Vonnegut’s pithy writing style swiftly delivers the impact of his message.

What is the cat’s cradle? I resisted reading other reviews on the book so I could make my own intimate interpretation. In the book, Newton, the midget son of Dr. Hoenikker states, “A cat’s cradle is nothing but a bunch of X’s between somebody’s hands…No damn cat, and no damn cradle.” In one respect, what people create and give such meaning to like nationalism (or granfalloon) is in fact meaningless. During the sixties and seventies, what if loyalty for one’s country led to the decimation of the human race? Where would are nationalism be then? Expectedly, one could debate the need for nationalism against a tyrannical country, but Vonnegut’s work forces the reader to contemplate a perspective transcending the institutions we hold onto so faithfully and without question. For the most part, the Germans exhibited a zealous devotion their government during World War 2.

So here I am, back to the question put forth in the title, are we Epinionators, who are so intent on writing good reviews, to be rated highly and be trusted by people we never met face to face a granfalloon or karass? I think that could be answered if, like the world in Cat’s Cradle, epinions suddenly ends.


Recommended: Yes