Original artwork, not a still
God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater · 1965
Hello, babies. Welcome to Earth... There's only one rule that I know of, babies: God damn it, you've got to be kind.
Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
Eliot's whole philosophy fits into one sentence addressed to people who cannot understand it yet. Vonnegut stripped religion down to its single usable commandment, and the profanity makes the kindness sound like an order rather than a platitude. It has outlived the novel as a quote about decency, and it is often attributed to Vonnegut himself.
Context reviewed
In context
Spoilers for God Bless You, Mr. RosewaterShow the scene
Eliot Rosewater, the guilt-ridden heir who has moved the family foundation to Rosewater, Indiana, is asked to baptise a pair of newborn twins, the children of Mary Moody. Instead of the liturgy he addresses them as newcomers to the planet: it is hot in summer, cold in winter, round, wet and crowded, and they will have about a hundred years here. The one rule he knows is the line quoted. The novel appeared on 5 April 1965 from Holt, Rinehart and Winston.
Sources (3)
- God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater (Wikipedia)Lead paragraphReference checked
- Kurt Vonnegut (Wikiquote)God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater (1965) entryReference checked
- God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater study quiz (BookRags)Quiz questionsReference checked
Context reviewed