becomes blurred, people quickly become disillusioned and rebellious. Though Vietnam, in which the line between good and evil was almost nonexistent, did not bring about the end of civilization, domestic rebelliousness did alter American life, just as Vonnegut predicted. In this particular instance, Bokononism can be likened to Communism - the perpetual enemy perceived, perhaps wrongly, to be the most dangerous force in the world. Cats Cradle is not the only one of Vonneguts works which has such an undertone of angst and urgency; indeed, it is one of the defining features of his work. The tension between the forces acting on the human race is higher than it has ever been, and if one force should give way, life as we know it will end. The only way to carry on is to convince ones self that life is not this treacherous, and that each individual can affect the outcome. This, according to Vonnegut, is the most necessary foma of all, and it might be able to save civilization....
