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.�The�novel�itself�has�a�circular�structure�because�readers�cannot�appreciate�the�full�significance�of�the�epigraphs�until�they�have�finished�reading�and�returned�to�the�beginning.�Circles�are�used�to�symbolize�nothing,�as�in�the�figure�for�zero�[0],�and�everything,�as�in�the�symbol�for�infinity,�a�loop�that�crosses�itself.�Circles�traditionally�symbolize�wholeness,�because�the�line�has�no�end,�and�emptiness,�because�the�area�inside�is�empty.�But�a�loop�of�string�is�not�a�cat s�cradle�until�human�hands�shape�it,�so�the�cat s�cradle�becomes�a�symbol�of�our�ability�to�shape�the�world�around�us�and�by�shaping�it,�give�it�meaning.�Newt�Hoenikker,�who�as�an�adult�is�still�terrified�by�the�memory�of�his�father�thrusting�a�cat s�cradle�in�his�face,�has�done�some�research�on�the�game.�He�points�out�that�humans�have�been�making�cat s�cradles�for�hundreds�of�thousands�of�years,�and�the�activity�is�part�of�cultures�all�over�the�world.�The�long�history�and�universality�of�the�cat s�cradle�makes�it�a�perfect�symbol�for�all�of�humanity s�varied�attempts�to�structure�the�world�in�a�meaningful�way,�including�magic,�religion,�fiction,�philosophy,�and�science.�For�Newt,�the�cat s�cradle�represents�parental�tyranny�over�children�because�it�figures�so�prominently�in�his�own�childhood�trauma:� No�wonder�kids�grow�up�crazy.�A�cat s�cradle�is�nothing�but�a�bunch�of�X s�between� Page�91somebody s�hands&.�No�damn�cat�and�no�damn�cradle. �Some�readers�assume�that�Newt s�opinion�is�authoritative�because�he�is�the�novel s�resident�expert�on�cat s�cradles,�but�the�rest�of�the�novel�suggests�deeper�meanings�for�the�symbol.�On�the�literal�level,�Newt�is�correct~�there�really�is�neither�cat�nor�cradle�in�a�cat s�cradle.�But�the�novel�insists�repeatedly�that�human�creations�are�not�to�be�taken�literally�but�should�be�seen�as�creative�fictions.�The�point�of�making�a�cat s�cradle�is�not�to�create�a�real�cat�and�a�real�cradle,�but�to�have�fun�making�something�out�of�nothing.�In�fact,�the�cat s�cradle�is�only�one�of�the�many�figures�that�can�be�made�from�a�loop�of�string.�The�joy�of�the�game�comes�from�transforming�one�figure�into�another,�and�it�is�comparable�to�the�joy�that�Bokonon�felt�in�transforming�elements�of�Christianity�into�his�new�religion.�As�Bokonon�repeatedly�warns,�the�harm�arises�only�when�we�begin�to�think�of�our�fanciful�figures�as�literally�true when�we�expect�a�real�cat�and�a�real�cradle.�Vonnegut�engages�in�a�similar�sort�of�transformational�play�throughout�the�novel,�and�the�symbol�of�the�cat s�cradle�appears�in�many�different�guises.�When�Jack,�the�owner�of�the�hobby�shop,�tells�John�about�his�attempt�to�restore�order�to�his�life�after�his�wife�has�left�him,�he�uses�the�image�of�a�cat s�cradle:�  I m�still�trying�to�pull�the�strings�of�my�life�back�together �(74).�In�this�way,�a�chance�remark�by�a�minor�character�becomes�part�of�the�symbolic�web�that�gives�the�novel�its�distinctive�shape.�Probably�the�most�significant�transformation�of�the�cat s�cradle�symbol�can�be�found�in�Vonnegut s�description�of�the�fanciful�house�designed�by�Nestor�Aamons,�Mona s�father.�We�have�already�seen�that�it�represents�a�marriage�of�art�and�science�through�creative�play,�but�it�is�also�a�sort�of�cat s�cradle,� a�cunning�lattice�of�very�light�steel�posts�and�beams �(163).�In�engineering�terms,�the�purpose�of�the�lattice�is�to�distribute�the�weight�of�the�terrace�so�that�it�can�be�borne�by�light�steel�beams�that�could�never�support�it�otherwise.�The�architect�achieves�structural�strength�and�stability�by�creating� dynamic�tension, �between�the�posts�and�beams,�just�as�Bokonon�framed�a�new�social�order�for�San�Lorenzo�by�creating�dynamic�tension�between�groups�of�people�(120).�Like�the�lattice�design,�Bokonon s�new�religion�reduces�the�burden�of�human�existence�by�distributing�it�more�evenly.�Obviously�creating�a�perfect�society�on�a�desperately�poor�island�is�more�difficult�than�designing�an�artful�house.�Human�beings�are�not�as�strong�and�reliable�as�steel�beams.�As�Julian�Castle�explains�to�John,�both�Bokonon�and�McCabe�cracked�under�the�weight�of�their�roles�and�went�insane,�but�the�symbol�of�the�cat s�cradle�allows�Vonnegut�to�explore�the�underlying�similarities�between�activities�as�diverse�as�art,�science,�religion,�and�sociology.�The� Page�92tension�in�the�strings�gives�the�cat s�cradle�its�shape.�The�tension�in�the�steel�gives�the�lattice�its�strength.�The�tension�in�the�novel�between�the�opposed�forces�of�nihilism�and�belief�and�art�and�science�gives�it�symbolic�power,�not�to�resolve�these�conflicts�in�favor�of�one�side�or�another,�but�to�show�that�dynamic�tension�between�them�is�essential�to�a�creative�and�fulfilling�life.�AN�INTERTEXTUAL�READING�An�intertextual�approach�to�reading�a�novel�recognizes�that�all�texts�are�part�of�a�cultural�web�that�links�them�to�other�texts.�By�examining�the�relationships�between�texts,�we�achieve�a�deeper�understanding�of�individual�texts�and�of�the�culture�that�produced�them.�An�intertextual�approach�assumes�that�writers �visions�of�the�world�are�shaped�by�their�culture,�which�includes�language,�customs,�beliefs,�and,�perhaps�most�importantly,�other�literary�texts.�Intertextual�critics�view�literature�as�an�ongoing�conversation.�Writers�find�their�place�in�the�conversation�by�commenting�on,�revising,�critiquing,�or�parodying�the�work�of�earlier�writers.�Previous�works�of�literature�provide�them�with�a�storehouse�of�symbols�that�are�familiar�to�readers�and�have�accumulated�power�through�repeated�use.�The�first�sentence�of�Cat s�Cradle�invokes�two�well�known�works�of�literature�in�only�three�words:� Call�me�Jonah �(1) [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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