Cat's Cradle Example Paragraph with Sentence Function Notation

Kurt Vonnegut’s Cat's Cradle challenges established attitudes toward scientific advances and religious ideology (I).  Vonnegut is able to make his criticisms clear and  persuasive by depicting both sides of the issues (not much said in this sentence, but a more specific S here would have worked well here).  For example, by way of San Lorenzo’s life-saving hospital, Vonnegut shows that science can be extremely beneficial (DE).  Amidst this information, he startles readers with glaring illustrations of the potential dangers of science: Ice-Nine and the atomic bomb (ED). These examples suggest that the danger lies in the applications of knowledge, not the knowledge itself (E).  Knowledge is an essential part of Vonnegut’s discussion of religion (I).  He leads readers to question whether their own “truths” are rooted in fact, and whether that even matters (E/AC?).  Vonnegut satirizes religion using the people of San Lorenzo, who are content with their Bokononist religion even though it is founded upon lies. He points out the absurdity of religious rituals, using boko-maru as an example (ED).  His message is that religion is useful, regardless of its origin; Bokononists are satisfied with their belief because it explains the things that science cannot (EE).  In Cat's Cradle, Vonnegut implies that lying to ourselves is, perhaps, the only way to be content, because the world is a harsh and unforgiving place (AC).  Of science, he says that no matter how much knowledge we attain, our progress as a society is hindered by the self-serving nature of mankind, which, according to Vonnegut, will result in self-destruction (AC).