Cat's Cradle

Cat’s in the Cradle Song Analysis Harry Chapin is musician, and songwriter, he wrote a heart breaking song called “Cat’s in the Cradle” in 1947. This sad/soft rock song, tells a story about a father who did not scheduled enough time to spend with his son. Furthermore this song tells a strong meaningful message about managing your time spend with your family, over one's career. The main theme of this song is a father’s regret of not spending time with his son. In the first verse of the…

Vonnegut uses imagery and manipulation of fiction to reveal truths about human nature we would deny. Cats Cradle and Slaughter-House Five are two examples of Vonnegut 's writings that use these skills to show the gory, but at times hilarious truths of war, science and reality. Although both novels have their plots and characters, they shared some common ideas and themes. In the novel Cats Cradle, John the narrator sets out to research information for his book titled "The Day the World…

For most situations, there is a defining moment. That moment for this story is not my own. ‘Cat’s in the Cradle’, written by Harry Chapin is a song about a father who neglects his son while he is growing up. When the child is going through adolescence, he tells his father that when he grows up, he is going to be like him. The song contains empty promises and missed opportunities. Once the child is grown up and has a family of his own, he fulfills his promise of being like his father. His does…

The Lust for Purpose The setting of a novel can have a large impact on the overall meaning of a work as well as change the way characters would act. The setting of Cat’s Cradle shifts from Illium, New York to San Lorenzo, an island in the Caribbean, all taking place during the mid-twentieth century. The sudden shift from such a modernized and meaningful place to live to one of primitivism and poverty allows the book to give more perspective on Vonnegut’s purpose. He discusses the recent…

The Cat’s Cradle was written by Kurt Vonnegut and published in 1963, in the midst of the Cold War and a year after the Cuban Missile Crisis. During the nuclear age, humankind's collective existence was under the constant threat of unfathomable power, consequently presenting not only humankind's frailty but also the uselessness of their position. What distinguishes this network from others is its outlandish stance on the most common of moral questions, Vonnegut juxtaposes science with religion…

Destiny Cat’s Cradle doesn’t only cast doubt on the usefulness or wisdom of searching for truths, but also the ability of a person to control their own destiny is questioned. Do we create our own meaning or are we just following a path already laid out for us? It seems Vonnegut thinks life is meaningless and that there isn’t a God that sets a path for us to follow. Destiny is not controlled by someone or something more powerful than us but by what the generations before us has provided. “To…

“To Catch a Bombmaker” written by Clay Dillow was featured in the November 2015 issue of Popular Science. Popular Science is a magazine that publishes various articles on the subjects of science and technologies that are evolving. It is informative yet easy to read. This was mainly an informative article so that he could share the story, but could also be found entertaining, if the reader enjoys reading things about scientific projects/happenings. In this article Dillow does a good job at…

deterioration of them. Water resources are necessary for human survival, but our constant pollution of them will result in its end. The only solution is for change; America must cut back on the constant pollution of its waterways. In the novel Cat’s Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut, a similar issue to America’s modern issue is Frank’s pollution of Ice Nine into their water supply. Vonnegut explores the problem of pollution as it illustrates the…

How would you feel about your father if he was too busy with work to spend time with you? In the song, “Cat's in the Cradle” by Harry Chapin, the father and son don't have a very good relationship throughout the boy's life. This song can teach us that we need to take time out of our lives to spend time with family and remember the important things. “My son came to the world in the usual way, but there were planes to catch and bills to pay.” The father didn’t realize how important it was to the…

In all pieces of literature there is something to be understood, whether it be the exact words written on the page or a hidden meaning behind the words. In the novel Cat’s Cradle the author Kurt Vonnegut uses satire as constructive criticism for society. If the reader is not looking for this satire they might miss the satire completely and need to seek outside sources beyond the novel itself to understand Vonnegut’s humor. In order to interrupt Vonnegut’s novel the reader must connect broad…