Money—who has it, who needs it, and how those who have it can exploit those who need it—plays a big role in The Art of Racing in the Rain.
Take Trish and Maxwell, for example. They grill their daughter about Denny's contributions to the family and deem Denny's financial standing inconsequential enough for them to suggest taking custody of Zoë after Eve passes away. What, only money makes a good parent? These two think that because they have money, they would be able to take better care of the kid than her own father could. Couldn't they have just offered to pay for her college tuition and let Denny keep his daughter?
Throughout the novel, in fact, we see how access to money determines which characters will get respect, social standing, even justice. Is it just us, or is that messed up?
Questions About Money
- Why do Maxwell and Trish think that Denny can't support their daughter or their granddaughter? What does this say about their opinion of his financial standing, and of their own financial standing?
- What social class are Denny and Eve probably in? How does this change the decisions they've made?
- How does Denny pay for his lawyers?
- What is the financial standing of Denny's parents? What about Mike and Tony?