Vonnegut constructs a tale of a genius, yet completely detached scientist, Felix Hoenikker, who is the father of the atomic bomb. We learn about his strange habits, childlike attention span, and his incapability to grasp the concept of God and sin. What makes Dr. Hoenikker so comical is the extreme personality Vonnegut creates for him; he is depicted as the typical “absent-minded professor” who is easily distracted by other projects (i.e. he takes a hiatus from work on the bomb to study turtles) which he quickly forgets (i.e. all the other scientists must do is take the turtles and Hoenikker returns to the bomb) and who is so out of touch with personal life that it affects those closest to him (i.e. he leaves his car in traffic and his wife must be called to retrieve the car; his own son Newt is afraid of him). After a request from the government to devise a substance to harden the muck and mud that the soldiers

The main character, Jonah, is an example of the typical person; he has a career, been married twice, clings to religion. He learns a valuable lesson from his new wife, Mona, when during the storms she declines having much sex. She tells him that it wouldn’t be a good time to have a baby in these conditions. By saying this, she shows us that she is logical, sensitive, and aware of the consequences of her actions. Jonah is the epitome of modern, fast-paced, self-concerned people. The Hoenikker children also show these qualities; each of them have been careless with their ice-nine and have used it to advance their lives. Frank gave it to “Papa” Monzano in return for a position in government; Angela gave it to her love interest so he would marry her, and Newt fell in love with a Russian dancer who ended up being a spy and stole his ice-nine. The people we meet on the airplane to San Lorenzo are also part of the humor. H. Lowe and Hazel Crosby are going to San Lorenzo to start a bike factory, and Hazel talks constantly of fellow “Hoosiers” in the world and insists they call her “Mom”. Vonnegut uses satire to show us how ridiculous people can be.

Throughout the book we become acquainted with the religion Bokononism. The religion was created by Lionel Boyd Johnson for the desecrated people of San Lorenzo. The creatio

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