Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Cat’s Cradle, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Science and Morality
Religion
Governance, Politics, and Nationhood
Absurdity and Meaninglessness
Summary
Analysis
With the rites concluded, “Papa” still doesn’t die just yet. John asks Frank about when they should announce his presidency. Frank insists it is up to him; he will take care only of more technical issues, like the repairing the power plant and staging an air show that afternoon. The show is for the “Day of the Hundred Martyrs to Democracy” and will involve six planes shooting at targets in the water. Frank tells John that he’s the boss, and John feels like Frank is “escaping human responsibilities” by “going down a spiritual oubliette.”
Frank is well along his journey of abdicating himself of all responsibility for the events to follow. John, absurdly, finds himself facing up to being in charge.
Themes
