Jewish American:
Saul Bellow
The Bellarosa Connection
Seize the Day
Asian American
Hispanic American
Native American
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Characters
The narrator's name is never revealed. He tells a secondhand account of the Fonstein and Billy Rose incidents. He is somewhat removed from the incidences of the story.
Fonstein is a Jewish man who survived the Holocaust. He was put in a Nazi jail in Germany and was rescued by New York celebrity Billy Rose. He was taken to Italy, to Cuba and finally to
America by Rose's secret underground operation. He wants to meet Billy Rose in order to thank him, but is unable to find Rose.
Billy Rose runs an underground operation in Rome. He saved Fonstein from a Nazi jail. Fonstein pronounces his name "Bellarosa."
Sorella is Fonstein's obese wife. She tells the narrator stories about Fonstein's experiences in Germany, including his experience with the Nazi jail.
Vocabulary
Er hat gesessen- "doing time in the slammer"
kibitzer (page 26)
Femme bien en chair (30)
fait accompli (49)
shofar (59)
art nouveau (81)
"Yiskor Elohim" (102)
Summary
Fonstein is a Jew who escaped from a Nazi jail in Germany with help from an American celebrity, Billy Rose. Rose helped many Jews escape, but did not want to meet with any of them after they had escaped Germany. Fonstein tried to get in touch with Billy Rose, but was unable to locate him. After Fonstein was brought to America by Rose's underground operation, he became successful and rich. Fonstein meets and marries Sorella. Sorella, Fonstein, and the narrator get to know each other and Sorella tells the narrator many stories about Fonstein's past. Sorella and Fonstein then move away, and do not see the narrator for another ten years. They meet coincidentally in Jerusalem. Billy Rose is also in Jerusalem. Sorella has acquired secret, personal information about Rose, so she blackmails him into meeting with her. Sorella thanks Rose for rescuing Fonstein and asks him to meet with Fonstein. Billy Rose refuses to see Fonstein. Fonstein doesn't even know that Sorella has met with Rose. The narrator then goes back to America and does not see Fonstein or Sorella for thirty years. He realizes one day that he really misses both of them and tries to contact them. He asks for their phone number from many friends, and finally is able to call them. When he calls, the house sitter answers the phone and tells the narrator that Fonstein and Sorella died six months ago. The narrator wishes he would have contacted them sooner so he could talk with them one last time.
General Critique
The narrator has a wonderful memory, and so he is able to recall all of Sorella's stories about Fonstein. The story is dramatic and ironic because, after thirty years have passed since their first meeting, Sorella and Fonstein die just six months before the narrator tries to get back in touch with them. The story is very real because the Holocaust was a real event, and many Jews suffered during this time period. Many escaped Nazi camps just as Fonstein did. Because the narrator is not directly involved in the story, it gets confusing at times. Some of the events in the novel seem very unlikely. For instance, the narrator, Fonstein, Sorella, and Billy Rose all go to Jerusalem at the same time. The chances of this seem slim.
Style/Literary Technique
The story is written in first person, but the narrator of the story does not experience many of the events firsthand. He tells the stories of Fonstein and Billy Rose that Sorella has told him. Bellow uses sophisticated speech to show that the characters are upper class.
Themes
1. It is important to stay in contact with those you love.
2. Death is difficult to accept.
3. Stay in touch with your heritage.
Thought Questions
1. Why do you think Billy Rose did not want to meet any of the Jews that he rescued from Germany?
2. If you were Fonstein, would you try harder to find Billy Rose in order to thank him?
3. Why do you think Saul Bellow repeatedly talks about Sorella's obesity?
4. After thirty years, why does the narrator suddenly want to get in touch with Fonstein and Sorella?
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