God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater
by Kurt Vonnegut (1965)
2024 reads, 10/22
“E pluribus unum is surely an ironic motto to inscribe on the currency of this Utopia gone bust, for every grotesquely rich American represents property, privileges, and pleasures that have been denied the many.”
Set from the point of view a trust-fund kid who resolves to give away his entire fortune to helping those in need, Vonnegut tells us this heartwarming tale of Eliot Rosewater rebelling against his family to give back to his hometown of Rosewater County, Indiana – and does so in a hilarious way.
I find that with many Vonnegut books, it feels like the thesis of the book is being thrown in your face – but there is so much more nuance when you study the little details. We have third, fourth, and fifth parties involved in Eliot’s rebellion, such as: the lawyers who represent the Rosewater foundation, Eliot’s estranged wife (who isn’t sure what to think anymore), and the distant cousin Fred Rosewater, a middle-class insurance salesman who is trying to get his hands on the money. The interdependence of these parties makes this much more interesting than your basic “rich vs. poor” story.
Vonnegut crafts a novel where the reader is constantly reevaluating and considering who should be getting what. The background and actions of Fred, probably the most interesting character in the story, make you wonder whether he deserves any or all of the money. Another pervasive question constantly posed throughout the book: is Eliot is going about his antics in the right way? Is “antics” even the right word to describe his behavior?
Not only did I find this book to be quite heartwarming, I found myself rooting for Eliot almost all the way through. It’s a pretty short read too, so if you find yourself wanting to read a little Vonnegut without a full commitment, this wouldn’t be a bad choice.
“My life, Mr. Rosewater—you saved it, whatever it is.”