Comparing Themes in Cat’s Cradle and Slaughterhouse Five Essay

Comparing Themes in Cats Cradle and Slaughterhouse Five Throughout his career, Kurt Vonnegut has used writing as a tool to make penetrating messages and ominous warnings about our society. He skillfully combines vivid imagery with a distinctly satirical and anecdotal style to explore complex issues much(prenominal) as religion and war. Two of his most well known, and most gripping, novels that embody this subtle talent are Cats Cradle and Slaughterhouse-Five. Both books represent Vonneguts unity for manipulating fiction to reveal glaring, disturbing and occasionally redemptive truths about human nature. On the surface, Cats Cradle and Slaughterhouse-Five are dramatically different novels, from severally one with its own characters, symbols, and plot. However, a close examination reveals that twain contain common themes and ideas. Examining and comparing the two novels and their presentation of different themes provides a unique insight into both the novels and the author allo wing the reader to gain a fuller understanding of Vonneguts true meaning. One of the most prevalent themes in Vonneguts works is religion. In the early pages of Cats Cradle, Vonnegut submits his contention that a useful religion can be founded on lies (Vonnegut, Cats Cradle 16), meaning that, fundamentally, religion is about citizenry, not about faith or God. Reminiscent of Karl Marxs description of religion as the opiate of the masses, he describes all religions as mere collections of harmless untruths that help people cope with their lives. The Book of Bokonon in Cats Cradle represents this portrait of religion at both its dreariest and its most uplifting, Bokononism is contradictory, paradoxical, and founded on lies its followers are aware of this... ...refree tone highlights them by providing irony and contrast. This unparalleled ability to seamlessly combine a light tone with serious theme is what distinguishes Kurt Vonnegut from other writers, Although Cats Cradle and Slaugh terhouse-Five share common themes, the presentation of each of the themes is different in each book. The two novels complement each othe, and comparing both can provide a higher level of understanding for each. Vonnegut neer forces his opinions - he makes statements by asking questions, and presents his themes through subtle, but powerful stories, His goal is to get readers to re-examine, not necessarily to change, their lives, morals, and values. Themes such as death, war, and religion are as old as literature itself, yet Vonnegut adds a unique twist to them, inviting the reader to look at these issues from an entirely new perspective.