Analysis of Babbitt

Kyle Beckley

History 1921-1945

Book Analysis

Nov. 30, 2006

Analysis of "Babbitt"

The novel Babbitt was written by Sinclair Lewis in 1922. The book's main character is named George Babbitt, a real estate salesman. He lives in a city called Zenith. The character of Babbitt is a conformist, a traditionalist type who Lewis is satirizing in this novel. The events of the book chronicle the events of 1920-21 in Babbitt's life. He has a sudden change of mindset and stops conforming for a time. He supports labor unions, has an affair with a widow, and is ostracized by the community. He eventually goes back to his old ways and is accepted once again, but encourages his son to break away.

Lewis, as we know, hated small towns. I also suspect that the issues in Babbitt were a part of living in one. Sinclair Lewis used Babbitt to illustrate negative themes such as conformity. Conformity is a major issue in this novel. Babbitt is the ultimate conformist. He believes, as Coolidge said, that "The business of America is business." Babbitt thinks that being successful in business is the greatest possible achievement for a man. He belongs to the Elks Club, Booster Club, Republican Party, etc., yet probably doesn't know why. He joined because he was expected to and everyone else did.

George Babbitt is very concerned with his status in relation others. He very much wants to be well-regarded. Babbitt helps a local conservative in his bid for mayor, because he wishes to improve his social position and power. Babbitt buys all the latest home appliances and expensive technology to "keep up" with his friends and neighbors. He wears his Booster Club button on his suit, and belongs to various social clubs.

Babbitt's hypocrisy was another theme covered in the novel. He advocates prohibition, but drinks privately. He contributes to the church, but has no faith. He believes in his own righteousness and is proud of his position in society, but cheats business clients and carouses.

But Babbitt was virtuous. He advocated, though he did not practice, the prohibition of alcohol; he praised, though he did not obey, the laws against motor-speeding; he paid his debts; he contributed to the church, the Red Cross, and the Y. M. C. A.; he followed the custom of his clan and cheated only as it was sanctified by precedent; and he never descended to trickery-though, as he explained to Paul Riesling: "Course I don't mean to say that every ad I write is literally true or that I always believe everything I say when I give some buyer a good strong selling-spiel. You see-you see it's like this: In the first place, maybe the owner of the property exaggerated when he put it into my hands, and it certainly isn't my place to go proving my principal a liar!

In the end, he only feels empty. Babbitt changes and rebels against the society that he was a part of, but reverts back to his old self, having realized that the "other side" doesn't have the answers either He can only hope that his son doesn't follow his father.

In this novel, Lewis portrays religious leaders as corrupt. An evangelist called "Mike Monday" (a parody of Billy Sunday, I'd guess), is employed to stop a union strike. Another church pastor is only out for profit and seems faithless. In the following passage from a Zenith newspaper, Lewis satirizes the church:

The Rev. Dr. John Jennison Drew, M.A., pastor of the beautiful Chatham Road Presbyterian Church in lovely Floral Heights, is a wizard soul-winner. He holds the local record for conversions. During his shepherdhood an average of almost a hundred sin-weary persons per year have declared their resolve to lead a new life and have found a harbor of refuge and peace.

Everything zips at the Chatham Road Church. The subsidiary organizations are keyed to the top-notch of efficiency. Dr. Drew is especially keen on good congregational singing. Bright cheerful hymns are used