View a FREE sample

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

Short Answer Questions

1. What was the name of the man that Dr. Breed describes as having been executed for committing 26 murders in Chapter 13?

2. How long is the island of San Lorenzo described as in Chapter 38?

3. What does Dr. Breed's secretary say "God really is" in Chapter 26?

4. How wide is the island of San Lorenzo described as in Chapter 38?

5. Who is the "mail-order muscle-builder" who "vulgarized" the term "Dynamic Tension," according to John in Chapter 47?

Short Essay Questions

1. What symbolism can be seen in the graves of Emily and Felix Hoenikker?

2. How does Newt Hoenikker describe his interaction with his father on the day the atomic bomb was dropped over Hiroshima?

3. How does the narrator describe San Lorenzo's attempt at communism in the narrative?

4. How is Dr. Felix Hoenikker's personality described in Cat's Cradle?

5. What is the significance of the literary/religious allusion in the opening of Chapter 1?

6. What irony is revealed in Dr. Breed's assessments of Ilium's history in Chapter 13?

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

8. What is surprising to John when he encounters the Hoenikker burial plot in Chapters 29 and 30?

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

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Describe the setting of San Lorenzo. What is the size of the island? How many inhabitants does it have? What are the primary exports of the island? How would you describe its economy and culture?

Essay Topic 2

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 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?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 928 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample