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
Present-day John explains that “a curious six months followed – the six months in which I wrote this book.” In these six months, he and the others have an “easy” way of living that “is not without a certain Walt Disney charm.” No other life has survived, but all the animals and fruits are frozen and thus provide easy access to sustenance.
Walt Disney is, of course, strongly associated with America, and Vonnegut’s mention of him is highly ironic. The destruction of life has meant a temporary world of plenty for the survivors.
Themes
Hazel stitches an American flag, though the colors are off and the stars are “six-pointed stars of David rather than five-pointed American stars.” Crosby does the cooking for the others, enjoying his role. Frank makes an SOS transmitter that constantly signals for help.
Like Frank, Hazel clings onto the symbols of Americanism. The wrongness of the flag signifies the misguidedness of her blind faith to America. The whole scene is intended to mimic an idealized suburban scene.
Themes
Hazel asks John how the writing is going, noting that a “lot of famous writers were Hoosiers.” She hopes it will be a funny book, and notes how each member the group has their own special skill (Newt paints pictures, John writes, Crosby cooks, etc.). John quotes an old Chinese proverb: “many hands make much work light.” Hazel wishes she’d studied the Chinese more, when she had the chance. John quotes Bokonon: “Of all the words of mice and men, the saddest are, ‘It might have been.’”
As John pointed out earlier in the book, grouping people together as “Hoosiers” is a “granfalloon”—a meaningless grouping together. Bokonon’s quote is a variation on a poem by John Greenleaf Whitter called “Maud Miller.”
Themes
