2 B R 0 2 B

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

21279

Title

2 B R 0 2 B

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

In a utopian future where aging and disease are cured, humanity faces overpopulation. This story explores the grim reality of 'population control' through the eyes of a father waiting for his triplets' birth and a weary artist in a hospital redecorated as a memorial to the dead.

Summary up to 500 words

Set in a perfected, dystopian future where humanity has conquered disease, poverty, and aging, Kurt Vonnegut's "2 B R 0 2 B" presents a world stabilized at a population of forty million. In this utopia, death is no longer a tragedy but a voluntary adventure for those who choose to end their lives to maintain demographic balance. The narrative centers on Edward K. Wehling, Jr., a fifty-six-year-old father waiting in the Chicago Lying-in Hospital for the birth of his triplets. Because the law mandates that a volunteer must die for every newborn to survive, the hospital has been transformed into a formal memorial known as the "Happy Garden of Life," where volunteers are tended to like plants in a pristine garden before their scheduled termination. The story introduces key figures who uphold this orderly society: Dr. Benjamin Hitz, the charismatic and omnipotent Chief Obstetrician, and Leora Duncan, a hostess for the Federal Bureau of Termination. Duncan poses for a mural depicting the disposal of the elderly, embodying the cheerful facade of the system. However, beneath the veneer of peace and plenty lies a profound tension. When Dr. Hitz explains the legal necessity of sacrificing relatives to save the children, Wehling snaps. Despite the society's propaganda that population control is essential to prevent the planet from becoming overcrowded like a blackberry, Wehling refuses to sacrifice his own grandfather or accept the death of his wife's relatives. In a shocking turn of events, Wehling draws a revolver and shoots Dr. Hitz, Leora Duncan, and then himself. His act clears the necessary space for his three children to live without the need for further volunteers. The story concludes with a cynical painter witnessing the tragedy. Instead of celebrating the new life, the painter is overwhelmed by the grim reality of life demanding to be born on a small planet. Abandoning his art, he decides to schedule his own appointment at the termination facility, highlighting the pervasive despair that exists beneath the world's perfection. The title, "2 B R 0 2 B," serves as the telephone number for the municipal gas chambers, a stark reminder that even in a world of plenty, the cost of existence is a life given up.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

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Categories

• Short Stories
• Science Fiction