Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. What social, political, economic, and other factors contributed to the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union?

Teaching Suggestion: It maybe be helpful to clarify the generic term “cold war,” which refers to a nonviolent power struggle between two countries, as distinct from the Cold War, which refers to the tensions between the Soviet Union and the United States, along with the Allies, following World War II and concluding with the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. As a link to the novel, you might explain that Cat’s Cradle imagines a substance even more powerful and destructive than the atomic weapons that proliferated during the Cold War.

• This article gives an overview of the Cold War, including its causes and development.
• This video gives an overview of the Cuban Missile Crisis, which is particularly relevant to Cat’s Cradle.

2. What are some of the major themes of Vonnegut’s work, and how might his life experiences have influenced his writing? If you are not familiar with this writer, search for images of his book covers and speculate on his topics, style, and genres.