In the story "Schrodinger's Cat," analyze what the controlling metaphor (entropy, the cat, etc.) says about the author's vision of postmodern America.

To respond to this question, you will first need to understand how to identify the controlling metaphor. A metaphor is an object that symbolizes something else. A controlling metaphor is a metaphor that is seen throughout the work.
Schrodinger’s Cat alludes to the famous Schrodinger thought experiment developed to identify flaws in quantum theory. The box represents a very fixed way of looking at events. When the box is opened to reveal the cat is no longer inside, a third unconsidered option, is introduced. When the lid is opened in the story “the roof of the house is lifted off just like the lid of the box, letting in the unconscionable, inordinate light of the stars.” This passage symbolizes the expanded thinking of the characters.
Entropy is also used as a metaphor in the story. It is defined as the level of disorder and disorganization in a system which can cause a shift in energy and heat. In the story, the narrator talks about the world getting hot and even mentions Hell. The author directly mentions politics as related to entropy in the passage, “When the water came out of the cold water taps hot one morning, however, even people who had blamed it all on the Democrats began to feel a more profound unease.”
To respond to this question, examine how these metaphors relate to current politics and events in the world. Does the author view America as a disorganized system? What enlightenment does our country need? When you create your response, you will want to use direct quotes from the story.