Key elements in sinclair lewis, babbitt sinclair lewis, the author of babbitt, devised several key literary elements to explain his full effect and purpose for writing his novel. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of babbitt by sinclair lewis. Conformity in the sinclair lewis novel babbitt, the character of babbitt is completely controlled by the power of conformity. Babbitt enjoys sir gerald because in sir geralds company, babbitt can secretly indulge himself in social rot. The book then got passed on to me, in case it was my kind of thing. The car in babbitt, the possession of a car represents status. Sinclair lewis, american novelist and social critic who punctured american complacency with his broadly drawn, widely popular satirical novels. Babbitt sinclair lewis beneath babbitts exterior, there is a vague nervousness and comfortableness a temporary nausea, caused by babbitts ebbing intelligence, imagination, and integrity. Perfect for acing essays, tests, and quizzes, as well as for writing lesson plans.
He is a middleaged man in the 1920s who has a good family and a successful career. In this masterful satire of early 20th century american life, sinclair lewis introduces george f. Babbitt sinclair lewis the novel behind the name, babbitt is sinclair lewiss classic commentary on middleclass society. Babbitt chapters iiii summary and analysis gradesaver. After the enormous success of his novel main street, sinclair lewis turned to another icon of american life, this time the archetypal middleclass businessman, immortalized in the figure of george f. Introduction this is a study guide for the book babbitt written by sinclair lewis. Babbitt followed traditions and behavioral patterns blindly even when he had doubts about them. Babbitt study guide contains a biography of sinclair lewis, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. Sparking heated literary debate, babbitt became a controversial classic, securing sinclair lewiss place as one of americas preeminent social commentators.
Babbitt 1922, by sinclair lewis, is a satirical novel about american culture and society that critiques the vacuity of middle class life and the social pressure toward conformity. In fact, when this book first came out, people were constantly coming up to lewis on the street and saying that babbitt must have been written about a specific guy that they knew. Babbitt is a satirist look, at not only one man, but an entire society as well. A friend bought it at a secondhand shop, but didnt have time to read it. The first four references are part of the language. When babbitt was first published in 1922, fans gleefully hailed its scathing portrait of a crass, materialistic nation.
Babbitt is a novel written by the american novelist sinclair lewis and was first published in 1922. You may copy it, give it away or reuse it under the terms of the project gutenberg license included with this ebook or online at. Sinclair lewis 18851951 won the nobel prize for literature in 1930, the first american novelist to be so honored. He won the nobel prize for literature in 1930, the first given to an american. Babbitt by lewis sinclair introduction babbitt by lewis sinclair is a story about george f. Comments by bob corbett january 2014 its 1920 and george f. It describes babbitts daughter verona, for example, as a dumpy brownhaired girl of twentytwo, just out of bryn mawr, given. Babbitt seems happy, but, as usual, lewis is busy undermining babbitts groundswell of happiness.
Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics. With his critique of middleclass smalltown 1920s united states, sinclair lewiss babbitt most. Babbitt by sinclair lewis is a contentious novel that satirizes american culture and society. Babbitt, a 46 yearold real estate broker, enjoys all the modern conveniences available to a prosperous middleclass businessman, yet he is dissatisfied with his life.
The project gutenberg ebook of babbitt, by sinclair lewis this ebook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. Babbitt seems happy, but, as usual, lewis is busy undermining babbitt s groundswell of happiness. Summary one night babbitt lies awake, bemoaning his fate. This time, babbitt s good spirits are shattered when he sees paul riesling having dinner with a dilapidatedlooking woman. First published in 1922, this story of an outwardly successful but inwardly unhappy real estate salesman is a biting satire of middleamerican values that retains. Published in new york in 1922, lewiss novel follows two years of realtor george f. To achieve high social status, babbitt is expected to uphold conservative values.
Babbitt was a type of character that sinclair lewis set out to satirize in his book. Sinclair lewis explores how the pressure of conformity pervades all aspects of the middleclass experience and subverts notions that certain groups are able to break free from this pressure. Thorndike press, originally published in 1922 no date on this edition, but say. In the city of zenith, in the barbarous twentieth century, a familys motor indicated its social rank precisely. It follows the story of the babbitt family, specially george f. Milton babbitt essay example topics and well written. Babbitt becomes so suspect that chum frink and verg gunch begin acting like secret police, watching babbitt as carefully as the national guardsmen are watching zeniths rioters. Critical essay technique and content in babbitt from a strictly technical point of view, sinclair lewis is deficient as a writer in a number of ways.
It is said to have influenced lewiss award of the nobel prize for literature in 1930. During his lifetime, many critics particularly those who were unable to endorse his vision of america attacked him for his lack of artistry. Lewis thinks that too many americans often say the things that they are expected to say, that they act exactly as they are expected to act, and that they are extremely conventional as far as individuality. Sinclair lewiss satirical 1922 novel babbitt became a national phenomenon. Sinclair lewiss babbitt is categorized as a satire, a parody of life during the roaring twenties, but its story seems no exaggeration of a life in the 20th or 21st century. Conformity is so powerful that even after babbitt realizes the stifling nature of the society in which he lives he is powerless to change his fate as a member of conformist society. Sinclair lewis and babbitt the book under analysis herein is sinclair lewis babbitt. The car stands for physical and social mobility and, as ted argues, the type of car that one own is also indicative of status and income. Chapter ii relieved of babbitts bumbling and the soft grunts with which his wife expressed the sympathy she was too experienced to feel and much too experienced not to show, their bedroom settled instantly into impersonality.
Summary summary babbitt is set in the modern midwestern city of zenith. Babbitt, a prosperous partner at a realestate firm in the fictitious town of zenith. Lewis sinclair shows babbitt in the historical context of the 1920s where the middle class is engrossed in materialism, social class, and conformity. This time, babbitts good spirits are shattered when he sees paul riesling having dinner with a dilapidatedlooking woman. In the novel, babbitt becomes unhappy with the ritualized and highly conformist life that he is leading and attempts to make it more. Lewis graduated from yale university 1907 and was for a time a reporter. Babbitt, is a symbol for a type of modern american whom lewis wanted to satirize in this book. Nathaniel rich says its comedy is still profound when read today. Babbitt, a prosperous realestate broker in the midwestern town of zenith. Buy a cheap copy of babbitt book by sinclair lewis. For babbit, this life includes a successful career and a stable marriage. It was an immediate bestseller, and babbitt entered the. Babbitt is a satirical novel, so the language is primarily aimed at mocking aspects of american culture and society. The original version was published in 1922, but there is no information in this book regarding what printing or edition it may be.
Please click on the literary analysis category you wish to be displayed. One of lewis ways of showing us babbitts character is by showing us what or who impresses babbitt. His major works include babbitt, arrowsmith, elmer. The language of satire is meant to be funny, and sinclair lewis uses humor to. Battle of ain jalut, 1260 the battle that saved islam and stopped the mongols duration. Babbitt, first published in 1922, is a novel by sinclair lewis. He recognizes that he and myra have no chance for reconciliation unless he ends his rebellion against conformity, but his. Many writers of the socalled roaring twenties depicted the time to be one of growing disillusionment with social class and material culture. Babbitt, lewiss eighth novel, was published in a hardback edition of some 400 pages in 1922. George follanbee babbitt has acquired everything required to fit neatly into the mold of social expectationexcept total comfort with it. Lewis won the nobel prize for literature in 1930 on the strength of a number of significant works, including arrowsmith 1925, elmer gantry 1927, and babbitt, a satire of the prosperous and conservative business class of 1920s america.
As babbitt sank blissfully into a dim warm tide, the papercarrier went by whistling, and the rolledup advocate thumped the front door. He is a pillar of his community, a civic booster, and a believer in achieving success for its own sake, and his story is. The romance of sinclair lewis by gore vidal the new. The controversy provoked by babbitt was influential in the decision to award the nobel prize in literature to lewis in 1930 the word babbitt entered the english language as a person and especially a business or. It served both of them as dressingroom, and on the coldest nights babbitt. Largely a satire of american culture, society, and behavior, it critiques the vacuity of middleclass american life and its pressure on individuals toward conformity. Best known as social critic with critical views of american society and capitalism after wwi. Learn exactly what happened in this chapter, scene, or section of babbitt and what it means. Panther books 1974 first published 1922 by jonathan cape ltd. He could see only her face now, beyond misty waters.
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