and set sail from
Tobago to London
alone in the Lady Slipper.
He enlisted in World War I,
was gassed, hospitalized,
and then set sail for home,
alone in the Lady Slipper again.
80 miles from home,
he was taken prisoner,
and then stranded on an island.
At last, he made it to Rhode Island,
and by that time, he'd realized that
something, was trying to get him somewhere,
for some reason.
From pages 104-105.
The mysterious concept of Bokononism is a major theme throughout the novel Cat's Cradle. Details of this strange religion were never given, until this chapter. The founder of the religion, Lionel Boyd Johnson, who later became known as Bokonon, was finally discussed. These lines from the story are only part of Bokonon's life story. This religion is a huge symbol for many of the characters in the book, and the way in which Bokonon founded his religion has a lot to do with his life. The poem talks about all of Bokonon's travels across the sea, and how each time he tried to get somewhere, something would prevent him from his goal. But he never stopped traveling; he continued his travels with optimism. After he realized that all of the obstacles had a purpose, he decided it was time to figure out what this purpose was. This later led him to wash ashore on the island of San Lorenzo. This mans journey helped shape the lives of all of those living on the island, as well as the main character, John's. Bokononism is slowly becoming more relevant to everything that happens in the story, so knowing who and where it came from is key to understanding it.
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