Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Cats cradle 1-7
Cat's Cradle, so far seems like a very interesting book. The ideas presented are original and yet we can be sure that all the stuff we read in this book are "shameless lies." The novel is about a man named John who is writing a book called The Day The World Ended, about the reactions of the people who were alive the day the atomic bomb was dropped. Since his book is about the atomic bomb, certain aspects of Cat's Cradle are scientific, which relates to postmodernism because postmodern ideas tell us that scientific research is the foundation of knowledge. A prime example of this is Dr. Felix Hoenikker. He is the scientist who made the atomic bomb. According to his son, "people weren't his specialty." The man did not know how to interact with other human beings but he was a genius when it came to science. He seems to be completely desenchanted with the rest of the world and what is happening. The only thing he focuses on are the things that interest him, which always has to do with science. He is a very original character and very intersting due to his lack of emotion. When somebody suggests that the atomic bomb was a sin, Dr. Hoenikker asks, "'What is sin?'" In his mind, science is not sin. The act of progress is a good thing which mean science is a good thing because it answers the questions people have. In some opinions, the atomic bomb was a sin because it was so destructive, but in Dr. hoenikkers mind, it was a scientific advancement. Postmodern ideas agree with Dr. Hoenikker I think because they ceneter around scincentific advancement; the answering of new questions which just causes new questions to appear. The work must go on and on becauses there is no way that all the questions people have will ever be answered.
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Oh look at Katrina go! Good job! I definitely agree with everything you just said there. I thought you were just going to summarize the book at first but then WHAM! You compare to Postmodernism. Nicely done indeed. There is not much I can add here because you have said pretty much everything that I would have said and more. I think that Dr. Hoenikker is the main connection to Postmodernism, that is if you are speaking in terms of scientific research, and how it will never end. You also did a really good job of analyzing Dr. Hoenikker’s character, or his personality, whatever you call it, with the information that we have been given about him so far anyways. Oh, the sentence you wrote in the beginning about the ideas in the book being original, and at the same time being “shameless lies” seemed kind of contradicting, but I think I know what you mean. It’s one of those things you understand but have a hard time explaining, ok well I am just rambling now. So I will end with: you did an awesomeriffic job! ;D
ReplyDeleteit is very true that dr felix lacks emotions. with no sense of emotions he is not intentionally meaning to not have feelings for all those he killed with the bomb but he just does not know what a guilt emotion is therefore feels no sympathy nor really understands the damage he has created. postmoderism theme has scienece wich is just bases on facts not emotions. so to dr felix it is only factualy by creating the atomic bomb that it would create and advancement to society but since he has no emotions he can not see the real damage he has caused:) goood ideas:))
ReplyDeleteYou mention that the in Flex’s view the bomb can't be a sin, because one he doesn't know what a sin is and two because he is emotionless. I think that neither one of these things make him a "bad person". He seems to be very childish and can help that he is interested only in what surrounds him in his environment. It's not like he intently made the Atomic bomb to kill people. He was simply interested in creating a bomb and the science behind it. The only reason he created such a thing was because he was influenced by the military that wanted him to create this. In the book it mentions a sergeant visiting him and constantly putting these thoughts in his head. Even though supposively he is suppose to be in a laboratory that doesn't inflict any type of influence. According to its head scientist are free to think and create freely, but they obviously don't.
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