Subversion In Cat’s Cradle

Kurt Vonnegut is one of the most influential American writers. The publication of Cat’sCradle makes him reputed among critics. Through his war experience in Dresden in theSecond World War, he fully recognizes the great threat to mankind brought by science andwar. Vonnegut integrates to Cat’s Cradle his deep concern about human survival as well ashis reflection on science and religion.The introduction of this paper gives a brief review of Vonnegut’s life and the backgroundof Cat’s Cradle. The first chapter elaborates on the main powers of males, science andreligion. The second chapter analyzes the subversions born of these flowing powers: thesubversion of ice-nine to kinship and love; the subversion of ice-nine to science andtechnology; that of Bokononism to Christianity as well as that of religion to militaryhegemony. The third chapter explores the deep-rooted reasons for subversion from theperspective of eco-criticism, that is natural ecology, social ecology and spiritual ecology. Inthe end, it emphasizes the important role of Vonnegut in the field of American post-modernism and makes a conclusion of the paper.