Vonnegut's Cat's Cradle

Vonnegut's Cat's Cradle

Vonnegut deals a lot with fantasy in his book, Cat's Cradle. From the beginning, he talks about the religion that he follows: Bokonism. This is not a real religion, however he has rules, songs, scriptures, and opinions of a person that practices this fantasy religion. Within his description of this religion however is black humor as well. I think that by him making up this whole religion and an entire island of people who follow it, is in a way mocking today's religion and the way that people are dedicated to their beliefs.

This Bokonism is basically telling the religious believer that everything that they read or hear is a lie, and that they need to think for themselves. I think one of the greatest parts that shows black humor is on page 77, where Bokonon (like Adam) arrives on land, completely naked, and has a revelation. "A fish pitched up By the angry sea, I gasped on land, And I became me."

Also I found it very interesting how it was illegal to practice Bokonism, yet everyone on the island, including Papa practices it. It's almost as if Vonnegut is trying to tell us how other religions are. . . and if any religion is a true and honest religion.

I think that Vonnegut also deals a lot with surrealism. I just really thought it was funny how everything in his life sort of just fit together, like it was meant to happen. Like the Bokonon worshipers, they believed that everyone fit in a karass and all followed a similar life plan, rotated in, out, and around each other. For example, I thought that it was so interesting how everyone fit together. Jonah went on a plan to find Frank Hoenikker, and who does he sit next to, but the senator, who is reading a book, written by the man who owns the hotel where Jonah stays, was in love with the woman who Jonah is in love with, who is marrying Frank.