According to American dream, we can all be rich and famous one day. The bummer for most of us though, is that we wake up from the dream one morning only to be greeted by a harsh dose of reality. Revolver is set during the Alaskan Gold Rush, when there was a mad dash of h fortune- seekers who came in hopes of striking it rich by digging for gold. Most of them found nothing but freezing temps and starvation out there though, and Sig and his family were no different.
The book keeps us wondering and waiting to see if somehow—by some miracle—Einar did find gold one way or another, though, and in the process, Sig questions what gold and money are really worth, and if it's okay to cheat to get them.
Questions About Wealth
- Why is there an elaborate plan to get rich in Revolver? What does this tell us about Einar and his desire for wealth?
- Does Einar go too far in compromising his morals to get his hands on gold? Is what he does to get gold any different than what Wolff does? Are either of their actions okay?
- In the end, Sig and Anna convince Nadya to spend the gold, even though it was stolen. Do you think they make the right decision? Is it okay to use stolen money if you weren't the one to actually steal it?
- Why does Einar live as a poor guy for so long if he has gold? Is he only worried about Wolff finding him, or something else?
Chew on This
Wealth is ultimately what one makes of it. For example, Maria is content despite having little money, but Wolff longs for more.
Ultimately, money is tied to morals and intelligence in the novel. We're convinced the gold diggers are naïve in searching for gold and will never find happiness, but somehow Einar outsmarts everyone to make his own luck.