We created a list of things (issues, concepts, ideas) addressed by Cat's Cradle.
This list included, in various classes, science, religion, knowledge/facts/truth/wisdom, art, fate, government, power, etc.
Your job was suggest what Vonnegut is trying to say about each of these issues. Be as specific as possible here. If you are struggling, begin with a simple question: Does Vonnegut "like" the issue (science or religion or...) and then go from there; be sure to include how Vonnegut might justify his position and why he feels as he does.
The final part is to describe briefly what happens in the novel that demonstrates Vonnegut's attitude. This might entail a quick quote, a conversation, a character, or a whole sequence of events.
Thus we end up with an assignment that quickly details issues raised by novel, the attitude of author regarding those issues, and how that attitude is suggested by specific aspects of the novel.
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Also here is a link to a shorter piece which poses a similar challenge to American ideology: Vonnegut's "Harrison Bergeron"
Also here is a link to a shorter piece which poses a similar challenge to American ideology: Vonnegut's "Harrison Bergeron"
I remember reading "Harrison Bergeron" in Mrs. Morrow's class last year, and rather than science and religion, we talked about the concepts of fairness and equality. In this story, the government tries to make everyone equal by holding back those who excel. The more a person excels, the more handicaps the government forces upon them. But, is it really fair to force everyone to be equal? In reality, achieving both equality and fairness at the same time is impossible, because no matter what, someone is going to get the short straw. By forcing everyone to be equal, we would be unfair to those we forced to stop exceeding. If we tried to be fair to everyone, and let everyone do what they wish and pursue what they wanted, it would make everyone equal because there will always be unusually talented people in the world. So, we might be able to get one and some of the other, switch between the two, etc.... but it will never be possible to completely achieve both fairness and equality at the same time.
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