"Call me Jonah. My parents did, or nearly did. They called me John"

This quote is the opening line of Kurt Vonnegut's novel "Cat's Cradle" as well as works as an intro to the protagonist, Jonah. The name Jonah is significant since it stimulates the biblical tale of Jonah as well as the whale, where Jonah is thrown over the top a ship and ingested by a whale, only to be later on spit out ashore. This story is an allegory for the styles checked out throughout the unique, including the risks of science and also innovation, the search for truth and also definition in life, and also the connection in between humankind and also the natural world. By calling himself Jonah, the protagonist might be suggesting that he is on a similar trip of discovery as well as knowledge. The reality that his parents practically called him John may also be symbolic, as the name John is commonly connected with the Gospel of John, which consists of lots of recommendations to light as well as enlightenment.