of a substance called ice-nine, and thus civilization successfully committing suicide. Ironically, the man who created the atomic bomb also created ice-nine, a man not diabolically evil, but merely absent-minded. In this, Vonnegut portrays not only the amazing influence the forces of the universe have on us, but also the influence a select few of us have on the forces of the universe.In Cats Cradle, Vonnegut describes an amazingly intricate means by which to accept the the whims of the universe. It is a parody of religion, and is what religion would be if it were stripped of all ritual and dogma. It is called Bokononism, and it reveals just how human it is to permit fate to have its way, and just how futile it is to fight against it. The basic tenet of Bokononism, according to Vonnegut, is that people should live by whatever foma (harmless untruths) make them happy. People, according to Bokononism, should do this so that fate seems much less prevalent in their lives, and so that they feel that their own free will is the main force in their lives. Vonnegut argues that such self-deception is one of the most integral aspects of humanity (Understanding Kurt Vonnegut, 53-65). Cats Cradle was published in 1963, at a time in American history when free will seemed to be the only force guiding anyone. People were tired of war, and tired of the threat of war. People were on the verge of losing faith in government. It is in this environment that Vonnegut put forth his attack on religion and on the human situation. The thought of ice-nine was just about as frightening as the very real threat of nuclear attack, so people could easily relate to Cats Cradles plot. Vonnegut describes government in Cats Cradle as effective only when an enemy exists, and he portrays Bokononism as governments enemy. When the tension between good and evil is high, says Vonnegut, the people can be kept happy and under control. When the line separating them ...
