In Cat’s Cradle the narrator John winds his way through the events that eventually lead to the destruction of the human race. Life to John is a quest; a quest that is defined finally by his new found religion Bokononism. He feels that everyone in his life revolves around him as they all search for something of meaning in their lives; this group is called a karass. Life is a gift that is never solicited and often unappreciated after given. Human emotions are often the catalyst behind extremely destructive actions in Cat’s Cradle John feels that he is in love with a girl that he has never met. He feels this way so strongly that he cannot bear the fact of her being with another man. Eventually John comes to marry this girl who he has known for only a short time, and as she perishes he cannot help but be paralyzed with grief. The struggle of a hard third-world life is very evident in all aspects of the San Lorenzo culture. Throughout the novel the people of San Lorenzo struggle with the horrible reality that is their day to day lives. It is only in the outlawed teachings of Bokonon that they can truly find some happiness. Bokononism teaches that life is nasty, that life is short, and that human beings are basically stupid primitive being destined for failure. Through these teachings they learn to except the faults of man and actually come to better their lives and themselves. Life is a struggle to defy the inevitable. Since the beginning of time man has contemplated his own death, labored over the meaning of life, and created religion to explain all that he cannot understand. Death at some point will catch up with all of society and at some point the entire world as human beings have come to know it will come to an end. No one can hide from death or attempt to oust run its ever-expanding claw; death is absolute. It is possibly the only certainty in all of human existence. Whether the sun explodes sucking...
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