چكيده
Skepticism toward the ideologies of modernity in the wake of catastrophic consequences of World Wars and the fear and anticipation of a nuclear apocalypse during the Cold War was widely reflected in postmodernist literature and nuclear critiques as they sought to criticize and subvert some aspects of modern ideals, the ideals which left nothing but destruction, ravage, and terror for humanity. This study addresses the question of how the subversion of modern constructions can be examined through deconstructionist lenses in Kurt Vonnegut’s Cat’s Cradle. “Deconstruction” as a way of subverting the essence of conflict and superiority in “binary oppositions” and putting “metaphysics of presence” as well as “logocenterism” under question, tries to discover new aspects of lingual and conceptual relations within dual systems and language structures. By employing his postmodern approach and techniques in to the work, Vonnegut deconstructs, reinstates, and improves the nature of religious, techno-scientific, and political constructs of nuclear age offering new ways of thinking. In a similar spirit, in his essay "No Apocalypse, Not Now," Derrida, a key figure in deconstruction, subverts certain current Cold War notions while taking a nuclear approach. Through deconstructive lenses, this research seeks to show how Vonnegutʹs subversion of modern constructs, such as techno-science, absolute truth, and apocalypse in Cat’s Cradle, mirrors Derridaʹs subversion of similar constructs in his nuclear criticism.
