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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. When does Dr. Breed describe the man being hung that had killed 26 people in Chapter 13?

2. What is the married name of Newt's sister, as revealed in his letter in Chapter 5?

3. Where was Bokonon born?

4. Where was the Hoenikker family living at the time that the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima?

5. What does Dr. Breed accuse John of being a member of in Chapter 21?

Short Essay Questions

1. What information does Newt relate about his siblings in his letter in Chapter 5?

2. What is meant by Mrs. Minton's remarks on indexing in Chapter 55?

3. How does fate bring the narrator to San Lorenzo?

4. How does Bokononism influence the language style of the novel?

5. What is significant about the stone angel monument at the sales room in Ilium?

6. Describe the narrative style of Cat's Cradle. Why do you think the author employs this style?

7. Who is Lyman Knowles and what does he represent in the novel?

8. What is significant about Frank's action of staging bug fights in Chapter 6?

9. What is ironic about the scientific work done for the military at the General Forge and Foundry Company?

10. What statements does the author make about nihilism in Chapter 36?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss John's relationship with Mona in the narrative. Why is John pressured to marry Mona? How do they relate to one another? What do they have in common? How do they differ in their perceptions and beliefs?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the genre of satire as it applies to Cat's Cradle. What aspects of the novel are satirical? What aspects of culture, society, etc. are satirized by Vonnegut? What do you think Vonnegut's overall statement is regarding humankind?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the concept of nihilism as explored in the novel. How does Vonnegut satirize nihilism in the narrative? What characters represent nihilism? What becomes of these characters?

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