Focusing on Expertise

Upon reflection of the first third of the story Cat's Cradle, I am forced to publicly convey my admiration for Dr. Felix Hoenikker. The man behind the United States asserting itself at the top of the food chain in military power, comes off a little rough around the edges and definitely rather eccentric. However I cannot envision a man that better embodies qualities I strive for everyday - focus, ignorance, and indifference. To begin with his focus, Felix could instantaneously fixate his mind upon a single matter and ignore everything else presented to him if he so chooses. At one point in the story Felix describes how anything can make him "stop and look and wonder" (11). At moments such as these, Felix indirectly characterized himself as fascinated by single objects to learn from. I am willing to excuse Dr. Hoenikker for his actions even though at times this extreme focus led to his ignorance which occasionally endangered or caused struggle in his own family. The author writes of how Angela "was a mother" because their real mother had perished and their father more often than not disregarded the family in a harm-inducing manner (11). Not physical harm, no. Felix simply deprived his young children of the attention and influence they need to mature. However I do NOT condemn Felix for his utter nonchalance towards the well-being of his family, the man created the atomic bomb! Of course he had to devote every neuron in his brain into creating a bomb so powerful that it single-handedly forced the Japanese to step down and recognize the USA, the greatest country on earth, as the dominant entity in either hemisphere. I read these parts in a time where I had great passion for my home country due to the onset of the Olympic Games, perhaps this patriotic notion led me to admire Dr. Hoenikker even more. Briefly I would still like to touch upon the scientist's indifference. Indifference allows a man to do his best work. Period. Why can surgeons not operate on family members as patients? Because they care too greatly for the life at stake. Dr. Hoenikker found himself able to set aside all emotions and devote himself to the task at hand - destroying Japan - which better enabled him to complete his job ASSIGNED to him! I do not believe Felix was a heartless killer! I see him as a loyal subject seeking to make a living and dedicating all of his talents to his area of expertise, creation of nuclear weapons. Although this meant putting his family aside, or disregard for innocent lives, Vonnegut writes that on the day of the bomb Felix did not care and simply played with his "cat's cradle" (15).



 - Rabindranath