Mona Aamons Monzano Character Analysis in Cat’s Cradle

Mona is the most beautiful woman on San Lorenzo, and John practically falls in love with her as soon as he sees her picture. She is the daughter of a Finnish architect who made some of the buildings on San Lorenzo. She was adopted by “Papa” Monzano and has been tutored by Bokonon (alongside Philip Castle). She is a practicing Bokononist and often engages in boko-maru with multiple “lovers.” She is due to marry “Papa’s” successor, which at one stage is Frank Hoenikker but soon becomes John. She commits suicide by ingesting ice-nine after she and John discover the bodies of the San Lorenzians who have killed themselves on Bokonon’s instruction.

Mona Aamons Monzano Character Timeline in Cat’s Cradle

The timeline below shows where the character Mona Aamons Monzano appears in Cat’s Cradle. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

On the cover of the supplement is Mona Aamons Monzano, whom John says he falls in love with immediately. Inside, he reads a... (full context)

...a “free hospital” in the San Lorenzo jungle. His son, Philip Castle, runs the hotel—Casa Mona—at which John plans to stay. John is mostly excited by the possibility of meeting Mona. (full context)

...explains that they are heading to San Lorenzo for a wedding—Frank is due to wed Mona. (full context)

John returns to the book about San Lorenzo, looking up Mona in the index. He finds a section about her father, Nestor Aamons, who fought in... (full context)

John looks at all the different index entries for Mona. From these, he learns that she grew up in the compound of the hospital, had... (full context)

...embarrassing and “self-indulgent.” She can tell from the index that Philip is in love with Mona, but that “he’ll never marry her.” Minton later whispers to John that this is because... (full context)

...notices that Frank is “Papa” Monzano’s personal bodyguard. John can’t help staring at the beautiful Mona, who plays some music on a xylophone for the crowd. (full context)

...the nation—“The Day of the Hundred Martyrs to Democracy” and the engagement of Frank and Mona. Minton congratulates him, and the newly-weds. (full context)

Frank frantically tries to help “Papa” by loosening his collar and blouse. John notices that Mona still looks serene. In fact, she appears to be rubbing her feet with one of... (full context)

John, Hazel, and Crosby arrive at the Casa Mona hotel, which has no previous guests in its guestbook. A white man is working on... (full context)

...Philip’s father. Philip explains that Bokonon was his tutor as a boy, as well as Mona’s. (full context)

...house in a cab, on the slope of Mount McCabe. The house was designed by Mona’s father, Nestor Aamons, and has a terrace over a waterfall. Frank is not yet home,... (full context)

Outside, they see Frank trying to fire up a large motor-generator. He has Mona with him. John, from the present-day, tells the reader that the thermos jugs carried by... (full context)

...walls are adorned with paintings of “very early man,” all fixated on the subject of Mona. (full context)

...be a catch. Frank explains that there is a catch: John would have to marry Mona. It says in The Books of Bokonon, explains Frank, that she will marry the next... (full context)

Frank brings Mona to the cave and leaves her alone with John. John admires her physical beauty, and... (full context)

Mona initiates boko-maru with John, saying it will help him. John, from the present-day, tells the... (full context)

After boko-maru, John tells Mona that he loves her. She loves him too, she says. He asks if there is... (full context)

John tries to order Mona to be his and his alone from now on. Tearfully, she says, “I make people... (full context)

John asks Mona about her boko-maru with the pilot during the ceremony, and whether she used to perform... (full context)

Mona largely ignores John but speaks to the other guests. Present-day John ponders “the meaning of... (full context)

Dr. Koenigswald explains that “Papa” had been raving about “pain, ice, Mona,” before saying “now I will destroy the whole world.” This is what Bokonists say before... (full context)

John and Mona take shelter in one of “Papa” Monzano’s other rooms, the wall and the roof now... (full context)

During John and Mona’s first twenty-four hours in the oubliette, tornadoes rattle overhead. John tries the radio, but there... (full context)

John and Mona have separated beds; Mona is not interested in sex with John; present-day John implies that... (full context)

...doodely, do / What we must, muddily must, muddily must, muddily must.” John mentions to Mona that humans breath in oxygen and breath out carbon dioxide, telling her that it is... (full context)

...the tornadoes hanging high in the air but no longer posing a threat, John and Mona venture outside. Every step John takes makes “a gravelly squeak in blue-white frost.” John says... (full context)

As John and Mona walk, John wonders where they’ll find the dead. He has a resurgent feeling of wanting... (full context)

John and Mona can’t see any sign of Bokonon. John is outraged at the “gall of the man.”... (full context)

...sort of igloo under a translucent, blue-white dome of ice-nine.” Those apart from John and Mona initially took shelter in a dungeon of the palace. (full context)