Cat’s Cradle Reflection

This was hands down one of the most interesting books I have read, granted I don’t venture out of certain genres too often. I have to admit, at times Vonnegut’s writing was hard to follow, but I found myself at the edge of my seat, frantically turning page after page.

That being said, I was unsatisfied with the end, it was like a dream after you wake up trying to piece it together, and you try to get back to sleep to continue it. That didn’t happen, so I was left thinking “WTF.” I don't understand how anything in this book ties together, and I kept thinking about what the stone angel with the narrators name on it was all about.

As I reflect I think little Newt said it best, “ no damn cat, no damn cradle,” this book for me reiterated the notion that not all is what it seems. San Lorenzo seemed like a place of greatness and happiness, but there was a lot of fear.  Bokononism was banned from San Lorenzo, however Franklin had The Book of Bokonon at his bedside. There were a lot of contradicting events, and issues that Vonnegut put in place to make you think.

I feel like Vonnegut was poking fun at the Bible, because in retrospect, if everyone on San Lorenzo died except for the Crosbys, Newt, Franklin, Mona and the stories narrator, this rag-tag group was the beginning of a new world.  They survived, they defined Charles Darwin’s theory of survival of the fittest, and that blows my mind. There were better candidates to participate in the beginning of a new world. 

I think the final words in the book were intended to answer the question that science is an important part of our world, and it will be the main reason the world ends. But what do I know, I thought the book would somehow be about a children's game that required two players and was a symbol of peace. "Where is the cat? Where is the cradle?"