Cat's Cradle

5 Pages 1273 Words

Cat’s Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut

Cat’s Cradle is a realistic fantasy that counters every aspect of our culture and satirizes it with many comedic, yet serious elements. It propounds a completely new outlook on life through the eyes of a very enticing and well-rounded character. At the onset of his adventure we learn that he makes a covenant with himself to write a book, and to the end he is dedicated to doing it despite the obstacles that he is faced with. In order to overcome this rude awakening he has to adjust to the environment whose threshold he enters and fit in with the very eccentric people that contrive it. Cat’s Cradle is effective in several different aspects. Its very active main character does a great job of guiding us through the book with his subtle and sly actions, easy to follow narration, and his humanistic characteristics. The plot of the book is unusual, although quite exhilarating. Our ability to understand its unconventional web of ideas is accredited to the main character’s fascination and involvement in the book. Adding to the suspense and unpredictability of the book, we only find out what the book tells us, and therefore are very dependent on it. This book hits home with all three of these essential criteria and that is why it is a must read for everyone.
In Cat’s Cradle the main character is a very fascinating young man named John, whose point of view is intricately and gradually woven as the story progresses. He is an avid writer, who is currently writing a book about the events that occurred in America during the Hiroshima bombing. He is specifically interested in the Hoennikker family, and his devious method of retrieving valuable information for his story, turns into a vivid adventure full of exciting and unusual experiences. He is obviously a very intriguing character, not only due to his striking intelligence but also because of his other interests, like women. Many males can relate to a char...