Cat's Cradle
Kurt Vonnegut
Born: Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.
November 11, 1922
Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S.
Died: April 11, 2007 (84)
New York City, U.S.
Period: 1949-2007.
Nationality: American
Famous Works: Cat's Cradle, Slaughterhouse Five, Breakfast of Champions.
Spouses: Jane Marie Cox, Jill Crementz.
Children: Mark Vonnegut,
Edith Vonnegut, Nannette Vonnegut.
Adopted Children: James Adams (nephew), Steven Adams (nephew), Kurt Adams (nephew),
Lily Vonnegut.
Relatives: Kurt Vonnegut, Sr.
Clemens Vonnegut, Sr., Bernard Vonnegut, Sr., Bernard Vonnegut, Alice Vonnegut.
Biography:
Kurt Vonnegut was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, in 1922, and died in New York in 2007. Vonnegut had been drafted to the army during World War II, and when Vonnegut was about to leave he heard of his mother’s death. On Mother's Day 1944, she committed suicide. During the Battle of the Bulge Vonnegut was imprisoned by the Germans. After World War II ended, he attended the University of Chicago. He began to work at the City News Bureau of Chicago, and soon realized that his true passion was to be an American writer.
After World War II ended he married Jane Marrie Cox, and in 1970 divorced his previous wife and married a photographer, Jill Crementz. Kurt Vonnegut raised three of his children, as well as his sister's (Alice Vonnegut) four children. He adopted them because Alice died from cancer.
His Writing style:
Kurt Vonnegut's works consist of humor and are full of unique thoughts. His writing also focuses on many aspects of life: including history, science, and religion. He is also fond of mentioning his thoughts on these aspects. In Cat's Cradle he shared his thoughts through the protagonist, Jonah. Furthermore, his works are typically written in first person, and are parallel to his personal life. In many of his works the protagonist does not have a mother; for example, Cat's Cradle. Lastly, many of Vonnegut's novels are influenced by the events that take place in his life. Cat's Cradle has to do with the dropping of the atomic bomb, which is associated with World War II. One could suggest that Cat's Cradle was written in such a gloomy, anti-religious, as well as anti-science way, because of the time Kurt Vonnegut wrote the book. He wrote in 1963 when people were still frantic about the atomic bomb being dropped onto Hiroshima. Additionally, during World War II Vonnegut was abducted by the Germans, which may have been another factor that influenced the way Cat's Cradle was written.