Apocalyptic Collapse and the Absurd in Vonnegut’s Cat’s Cradle
This article analyzes the way Kurt Vonnegut develops an aesthetics of the grotesque to examine the irresistible attraction humankind feels for self-destruction. In Cat’s Cradle, he evokes science, religion and our desire for Utopia to describe our unstoppable march toward the Apocalypse. Each of the...
Saved in:
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Presses Universitaires du Midi
2020-03-01
|
| Series: | Caliban: French Journal of English Studies |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://journals.openedition.org/caliban/7235 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849337544100020224 |
|---|---|
| author | Ruth Fialho |
| author_facet | Ruth Fialho |
| author_sort | Ruth Fialho |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This article analyzes the way Kurt Vonnegut develops an aesthetics of the grotesque to examine the irresistible attraction humankind feels for self-destruction. In Cat’s Cradle, he evokes science, religion and our desire for Utopia to describe our unstoppable march toward the Apocalypse. Each of the aforementioned organizing systems is exposed as one same expression of our desire for control, which can only lead to radical failure. For Vonnegut, there is only one road to salvation: acknowledging the absurd as the organizing principle of our lives. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-7d1e66008a8d4e40945efeccbd781929 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2425-6250 2431-1766 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2020-03-01 |
| publisher | Presses Universitaires du Midi |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Caliban: French Journal of English Studies |
| spelling | doaj-art-7d1e66008a8d4e40945efeccbd7819292025-08-20T03:44:39ZengPresses Universitaires du MidiCaliban: French Journal of English Studies2425-62502431-17662020-03-0163657810.4000/caliban.7235Apocalyptic Collapse and the Absurd in Vonnegut’s Cat’s CradleRuth FialhoThis article analyzes the way Kurt Vonnegut develops an aesthetics of the grotesque to examine the irresistible attraction humankind feels for self-destruction. In Cat’s Cradle, he evokes science, religion and our desire for Utopia to describe our unstoppable march toward the Apocalypse. Each of the aforementioned organizing systems is exposed as one same expression of our desire for control, which can only lead to radical failure. For Vonnegut, there is only one road to salvation: acknowledging the absurd as the organizing principle of our lives.https://journals.openedition.org/caliban/7235religiongrotesqueapocalypsecollapseabsurdscience |
| spellingShingle | Ruth Fialho Apocalyptic Collapse and the Absurd in Vonnegut’s Cat’s Cradle Caliban: French Journal of English Studies religion grotesque apocalypse collapse absurd science |
| title | Apocalyptic Collapse and the Absurd in Vonnegut’s Cat’s Cradle |
| title_full | Apocalyptic Collapse and the Absurd in Vonnegut’s Cat’s Cradle |
| title_fullStr | Apocalyptic Collapse and the Absurd in Vonnegut’s Cat’s Cradle |
| title_full_unstemmed | Apocalyptic Collapse and the Absurd in Vonnegut’s Cat’s Cradle |
| title_short | Apocalyptic Collapse and the Absurd in Vonnegut’s Cat’s Cradle |
| title_sort | apocalyptic collapse and the absurd in vonnegut s cat s cradle |
| topic | religion grotesque apocalypse collapse absurd science |
| url | https://journals.openedition.org/caliban/7235 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT ruthfialho apocalypticcollapseandtheabsurdinvonnegutscatscradle |