Knowledge+Gained,+Essays+to+be+Written

Although the tone of Cat's Cradle may seem playful and ironic, Vonnegut is using __Cat's Cradle__ as a medium to convey the dangers inherent in the fundamental nature of mankind as well as the threat technology poses. Much like the novels __1984__ by George Orwell __and Brave New World__ by Aldous Huxley, Kurt Vonnegut's novel Cat's Cradle teaches us that human nature (and especially its flaws and stupidity) cannot be fundamentally changed, and that technology can be used a means for mass destruction just as it is used a means for advancement. Vonnegut's novel, as a postmodern work, is a reaction to the 21st century, where scientific and technological advancements that were fundamentally changing the life of mankind. Just like __Brave's New World__ worship of technology, people began to see modern science almost as a religion that could change the course of mankind. At the same time that it was true that technological and scientific advancement offered an overall better standard of living, it was also true that these technological and scientific accomplishments were a double-edged sword in that they hurt mankind just as much as they helped it. For example, the same scientific community that discovered the motor car and penicillin also produced the weapons of War World II that claimed over 60 million lives. Vonnegut experienced these technological horrors first hand as a soldier during World War II. Ultimately, Vonnegut is also trying to convey to the reader that mankind does not need to be evil nor good to cause destruction. His prime example is through one of the characters the novel, Felix Hoenikker, the legendary scientist who created ice-nine and the atom bomb. Felix Hoenikker is portrayed as a completely innocent being who is only interested in the purest form of knowledge. Felix Hoenikker cares very little for the "benefits" that creating the atom bomb brings, namely money and prestige. However, Felix is so concerned with the pursuit of knowledge that he also cares little for other people, even his own flesh and blood. The only time that he has shown playfulness was when he showed the cat's cradle to his son, Frank. As the creator of the atom bomb, Felix does not care for the implications that his research could send throughout humanity, nor does he seem aware of the destruction that it could cause. This seemingly innocent man helps build the atomic bomb and later produces ice-nine, which if dropped into an ocean, is capable of extinguishing mankind. By the end of Cat's Cradle, ice-nine is responsible for the death of almost every living thing on earth. The most ironic fact was that ice-nine was not even used maliciously- it was dropped by careless, indifferent, and stupid people. Vonnegut demonstrates that these traits of mankind, which were not even evil, combined with man's technological power, are enough to destroy the world. From Cat's Cradle, we can take away Vonnegut's message in his novel apply it to the real world. We can approach technology with a more cautious attitude. With greater power comes great responsibility, and we must always be sure that we can handle the responsibility. We see this in modern society today through the U.N and nuclear arms treaties. From __Cat's Cradle__, we can realize the inherent flaws in human nature. No matter our race or religion, Vonnegut shows us that there are inseparable traits that bind us together, namely human stupidity. ** Essays to be Written ** Using the knowledge obtained from Cat's Cradle, we can write a variety of essays. The first type of essay would be one regarding the postmodernism present in the novel. There are many aspects of postmodernism in the novel, including ambiguity and an extremely fragmented story line. Cat’s Cradle is also rich with historical context, so historical essays about the novel and the author himself could be written. Cat’s Cradle is extremely ambiguous, resulting in analytical essays that scan the novel for hidden symbols. Finally, one of the most fundamental themes in Cat’s Cradle is the use of technology and whether or not mankind can handle the responsibility of it. A plethora of philosophical essays could be written regarding if there a justifiable limit to creating technological advancements without control over them
 * Knowledge Gained **