God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater

God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater, or Pearls Before Swine is a 1965 novel by American author Kurt Vonnegut Jr. (1922-2007). The novel is a postmodern satire on wealth, capitalism, and the dark side of the American Dream. Vonnegut’s fifth novel is considered a precursor to Slaughterhouse Five (1969) since it introduces many of the themes that appear in that much-lauded novel. God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater contains elements of science fiction, which emerge in a metafictional novel by Vonnegut’s fictional author, Kilgore Trout. Trout provides a metacommentary on the novel’s world. Vonnegut is one of the major writers of the 20th century, and many critics compare him to Mark Twain for his incisive critiques of American politics and culture.

This study guide cites The Dial Press 2007 edition.

Content warning: The source material uses outdated, offensive terms to discuss mental illness, suicide, and alcoholism. In addition, the source material uses disparaging language to describe characters’ intellect and appearance. This study guide only replicates such terms in direct quotes of the source material. When applicable, these terms are contextualized within the study guide and replaced with more inclusive terminology.