God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater

The motif of suicide supports the theme of The Fear of Uselessness and Obsolescence. In Kilgore Trout’s novel 2BR02B—the title of which Eliot maintains is an allusion to Hamlet’s famous opening soliloquy—death is voluntary. As a result, there is a rise of ethical suicide parlors, where attractive hostesses help people who feel “silly and pointless” (21) die in painless ways. This speculative scenario contrasts starkly with the novel’s reality, in which financial ruin drives people like Fred’s father to death by suicide. Eliot posts fliers for the foundation, asking people to call him if they are contemplating suicide. He often buys them more time, sometimes giving a few hundred dollars to convince someone to live another week. Eliot has experience with suicide. Immediately after realizing that he has killed three unarmed firefighters in World War II, he lies down in front of a moving truck, only to be saved at the last moment. He feels unworthy of the second chance he has been given, and he uses his good fortune to help those around him. Fred’s constant contemplation of suicide and his obsession with life insurance represents the generational effect that suicide can have on a family.