Babbitt: Conformity
In the Sinclair Lewis novel Babbitt, the character of Babbitt is completely controlled by the power of conformity. 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.
George F. Babbitt is a man who is completely controlled by the conformist society in which he lives. Pressure to conform lies in all aspects of Babbitt's life. Relationships, family, social life, and business are all based on his ability to conform to Zenith's preset standards of thought and action. All of Babbitt's thoughts are controlled by society. Thoughts that are not those of society are frowned upon.
"What he feels and thinks is what is currently popular to feel and think.
Only once during the two years that we have him under view, does he venture upon an idea that is remotely original-and that time the heresy almost ruins him."(Bloom)
At first the reader sees Babbitt as a person more than happy to conform to the standards set for him by the rest of society. Babbitt goes about his normal routine praising modern technology, material possessions and social status as ways to measure the worth of an individual. In fact the readers first encounter with Babbitt sees him praising modern technology. "It was the best of nationally advertised and quantitatively produced alarm-clocks, with all modern attachments, including cathedral chime, intermittent alarm, and a phosphorescent dial. Babbitt was proud of being awakened by such a rich device."(Babbitt pg.3) Babbitt praises the technology of his alarm clock only because it is a symbol of material worth and therefore social status.
All of Babbitt's actions and thoughts are controlled by the standards of Zenith. "His every action is related to the phenomena of that society. It is not what he feels and aspires to that moves him primarily; it is what the folks around him will think."(Mencken). All of Babbitt's thoughts are those of society, and thoughts that are not society's are ridiculed Babbitt works simply to raise his social status by means of increasing his material worth. Babbitt belongs to many popular clubs, the purposes of which he does not even completely understand. Why does Babbitt do these things? Babbitt does these things to per...
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...f pleasure out of that fact that you knew what you wanted to do and did it. Well, those folks in there will try to bully you, and tame you down. Tell 'em go to the devil!
I'll back you. Take your factory job, if you want to. Don't be scared of the family. No, nor all of Zenith. Nor of yourself the way I've been. Go ahead, old man! The world is yours!".(Babbitt pg 401) In this meaningful ending passage Babbitt admits his failure in life to his son, and tells him to go after his dreams. He hopes that his son will not fear life, himself, or Zenith the way he did. Babbitt realizes that fear is how conformity captures it's victims, and that without fear anything is possible.
In the city of Zenith the power of conformity is too strong to battle, and even when it's power is realized it is impossible to battle.
Conformity traps the fearful into unhappy lives, and forces it's will upon them. Once captured by conformity it is impossible to escape it's grasp.
Some Hope however exists for a newer generation including Babbitt's son to conquer conformity and aspire to carry out their dreams.
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society in which he lives. He apartment is purposely set on the opposite side of town
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