The Foster Portfolio (Kurt Vonnegut, 1951)

Reread the line, "Look, I want you to handle my securities, not my life." Why is Herbert so defensive about his life and choices?

Principles:

'I think every man, for his own self-respect, should earn what he lives on.'

Explanation:

The sentence above from Herbert in the Foster Portfolio explains perfectly why Herbert is the way he is. Although by heritage he is a very rich man, he denies himself the pleasure of spending any money not made by himself, even when he is in a difficult financial situation.

So his rock-solid principles makes him defensive about his life; the heritage is somehow not connected with his meager life.