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
Dr. Koenigswald leads John and Frank in to see “Papa”. The dictator is in a bed made of “a golden dinghy”; it is the lifeboat that once brought him and Bokonon ashore. “Papa” is clearly in a lot of pain. He is wearing a necklace with a cylinder on the end, which, at the time, John thinks is a “magic charm.” Present-day John tells the reader that it actually contains ice-nine.
The golden dinghy is part of the Bokonon myth. The fact that the island’s dictator, who allegedly presides over a society that is distinctly anti-Bokononism, sits in Bokonon’s boat demonstrates the fun Vonnegut has with making his characters contradictory and hypocritical. Present-day John reminds the reader of the impending sense of doom relating to ice-nine.
Themes
“Papa” keeps whispering hoarsely, saying “goodbye” and “ice.” Dr. Koenigswald is slightly baffled, as whenever they bring him ice he doesn’t seem to want it. “Papa” croaks that it doesn’t matter who is president. He tells John to “get Bokonon” and kill him. and to apologize on his behalf that he never killed Bokonon. He says Bokonon “teaches the people lies,” and that John and Frank should teach them science, because “science is magic that works.”
“Papa”, of course, is referring to ice-nine. His instructions to John are again entirely contradictory, considering in the next few moments he asks for the Bokononist last rites. His quote about science embodies the naïve idea that science can be separate from morality.
Themes
“Papa” falls silent before asking for the last rites. But he doesn’t want them from Dr. Humana, instead proclaiming that he is a Bokononist and wants the appropriate rites from that religion.
Dr. Humana is rendered useless, and “Papa” is revealed to be a Bokononist—just like everyone else.
Themes
