Author Bret Easton Ellis examined the complex inheritance of family wealth, literary success, and generational alienation in a memoir piece originally published in the April 1995 issue of Vogue. According to Ellis, the men in his family defined themselves entirely through money, viewing financial freedom as a license for abuse, alcoholism, and emotional indifference.
The Family Dynamic of Wealth and Power
Ellis’s grandfather owned casinos in Nevada, while his father accumulated wealth through speculative real estate deals during the Reagan years, according to the published account. Both men prided themselves on amassing fortunes, believing that money excused bad behavior, including infidelity, spousal battery, megalomania, and emotional detachment.
Growing up around this environment left Ellis skeptical and horrified by how financial capital can alter a person’s character. While his father viewed money as a hard, tangible truth, Ellis found the concept abstract. When his father insisted he attend business school at U.S.C., Ellis resisted, setting the stage for a permanent family rift by choosing an art school instead.
The Rift Over Bennington College
Seeking geographic distance from Los Angeles, which he viewed as increasingly ominous, Ellis applied to Bennington College in Vermont. According to the author, his father refused to pay the expensive tuition, leading his grandfather—who was embroiled in a complex lawsuit with Ellis’s father at the time—to step in and cover the costs.
Did you know? Ellis believes his grandfather paid his Bennington tuition primarily because it would anger his father. Following his enrollment in the fall of 1982, Ellis and his father essentially stopped speaking.
At age eighteen, Ellis vowed never to let money dictate his life. Expecting to make no serious money from writing or music, he planned to live on “just enough.” However, that trajectory shifted dramatically during a writing tutorial in the winter and spring of 1983.
Unexpected Literary Success and Parental Acceptance
Ellis wrote a novel for course credit without any intention of publishing it or pursuing a formal career as an author. His writing teacher submitted the manuscript to Simon and Schuster, which accepted it and published the book in the late spring of 1985, according to the memoir.
The novel became a best-seller, was adapted into a film, and was translated into 20 languages. This commercial success triggered two simultaneous events: Ellis earned an enormous amount of money, and his father resumed speaking to him, shifting into a glowing acceptance that Ellis noted only intensified his loathing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where was Bret Easton Ellis’s memoir originally published?
The piece, titled “Unfortunate Son,” was originally published in the April 1995 issue of Vogue.
Which college did Bret Easton Ellis attend?
He attended Bennington College, a liberal-arts institution in Vermont, starting in the fall of 1982.
When was his breakthrough novel published?
His novel was accepted by Simon and Schuster and published in the late spring of 1985 after being written for a college writing tutorial.
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