Babbitt By Lewis Sinclair

1026 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Key elements of sinclair lewis babbitt

In the Sinclair Lewis novel, Babbitt, the main character is a man who lives his whole life under the presumption that the only way to be happy is to follow society. Daily, he walks the path of right-wing social law, believing that only wealth can bring him happiness. Babbitt eventually makes an effort to change his ways, but is too deep into the system to pull himself from the lifeless abyss of proper society.

George F. Babbitt lives in a society that prohibits creativity at the cost of wealth, but grants only supposed happiness. Every block that has made up his life has been affected by the pressure of conformity. Success in relationships, family, social life, and business are all based on his ability to conform to Zenith's preset standards of thought and action. Everything that Babbitt did was a reflection of what society told him to be. Also, the only time that Babbitt provided an opinion different from the other citizens of Zenith was when he took the side of the union strikers. His opinion was swiftly shot down by his friends and colleagues, and as he leaves the meeting he overhears his friends beginning to question his objections to social law.

At first Babbitt is portrayed as a person happy with conforming to the standards set for him by the rest of society. He is repeatedly found talking about modern technology, material possessions and social status as ways to measure the worth of an individual. The first of there occurrences comes early in the book when Babbitt boasts about his luxurious alarm clock. "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."

All of Babbitt's actions and thoughts are controlled by the standards of those around him. He does not act because it was what he is inspired to do, he acts for the acceptance of the rest of Zenith. Babbitt does everything expected of him by others because he hopes to improve his social status. By doing this, he moves quickly up the rungs on the ladder of success, feeling hollow happiness as he accomplishes the social goal of getting richer and richer.

However, Babbitt soon realizes that his rising hierarchal status, (along with his widening wallet,) aren't his honest aspirations. He begins to feel a yearning for his real dreams, such as nature and adventure.

Show More
Related

  • The Boat, by Alistair Macleod

    843 Words  | 2 Pages

    A household is a precious and sensitive system of a group. Everyone has a role and responsibilities and even if someone took a sliver of more than the rest the balance could be broken. In the short-story “The Boat” written by Alistair MacLeod, the mother controls decisions in the house and abuses them even if they are not for the better of the house. She refuses to accept the daughter’s gifts, she discourages her family towards getting a better education and she married their father and pressured him to be a sailor. Though these decisions are what she feels is right, it does not work out for the rest of the family members. The mother’s stubbornness towards change and education caused the state of desperation in the house-hold.

    Read More

  • Recurring Themes in The Great Gatsby and Their Eyes Were Watching God

    1201 Words  | 3 Pages

    The recurring themes of society, class, and self identity can be seen throughout many different writings of the 20th century. Two of these writings include, “The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald and, “Their Eyes Were Watching God” by Zora Neale Hurston. Both novels focus on the protagonist's goal of achieving equal rights in their own environment while at the same time trying to figure out who they are in the world. In the early 1900s, when “Their Eyes Were Watching God” takes place, slavery had very recently been abolished (relatively speaking) and the lasting effects of segregation take a toll on Janie, the protagonist. In the Great Gatsby, although Jay Gatsby is white, and thus does not have to deal with the factor of race, he struggles with many different aspects of American Society, mainly the class system and the American Dream. The American dream depicted by F.Scott Fitzgerald is a desire to gain wealth and prosperity. However, at the same time the book does not suggest that wealth equates to success. Even though Gatsby does have material wealth, he is not successful in gaining what he wants to be happy. Despite his material wealth, Gatsby is never united with the love of his life, Daisy. This shows that even though Gatsby has achieved the dream of wealth and prosperity, he has not achieved his final goal. In Their Eyes Were Watching God, Janie too believes in the American Dream, and similarly to Gatsby, it is not a dream of wealth and prosperity. For her, it’s a dream of Freedom in all aspects of life. Both characters however, spend much of their time trying to conform to the rest of the world and essentially be like “everyone” else instead of trying to be distinct individuals. Societal norms of the early 1900s tak...

    Read More

  • Use Of Leisure Time In Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451

    1102 Words  | 3 Pages

    Guy Montag, a fireman in a technologically oriented society, goes against the government to find true happiness. Bradbury’s novel, Fahrenheit 451, takes place in a dystopian society in a futuristic America where firemen do not put out fires, but rather use fire to eradicate books. This society lavishes ignorance and looks down upon intelligence. The inappropriate use of leisure time in Montag 's world is the biggest contributor to their deficient society, because people no longer have complex personalities, good socializing, parenting, or critical thinking skills.

    Read More

  • The Jungle by Upton Sinclair

    1571 Words  | 4 Pages

    “The Jungle,” written by Upton Sinclair in 1906, describes how the life and challenges of immigrants in the United States affected their emotional and physical state, as well as relationships with others. The working class was contrasted to wealthy and powerful individuals who controlled numerous industries and activities in the community. The world was always divided into these two categories of people, those controlling the world and holding the majority of the power, and those being subjected to them. Sinclair succeeded to show this social gap by using the example of the meatpacking industry. He explained the terrible and unsafe working conditions workers in the US were subjected to and the increasing rate of corruption, which created the feeling of hopelessness among the working class.

    Read More

  • Character Analysis Of Babbitt By Sinclair Lewis

    1674 Words  | 4 Pages

    In the midst of his superficial, materialistic, and dissatisfied personality, Babbitt learns to be grateful for his blessings, regardless of their apparent insignificance.

    Read More

  • Babbitt Analysis

    1674 Words  | 4 Pages

    Sinclair Lewis’s novel, Babbitt, details the life of the titular character, Babbitt, who finds discontent with his life but is unable to change it. Lewis uses this character to satirize 1920s the American lifestyle by highlighting the hypocrisy and hollowness of Babbitt’s life.

    Read More

  • What Is The Reality Of Reality In The Great Gatsby

    807 Words  | 2 Pages

    In society, many people mistakably blind themselves from the truth of reality in order to achieve the materialistic things life offers. They become intrigued by these ideas and dreams of another life and turn it into an obsession, unable to understand the consequences. In the novel, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald Jay Gatsby’s perception of life exemplifies this by allowing his dreams to overpower reality. His belief happiness can be found through wealth, love and possessions causes him to think everything should and will be capable of his reach. Motivated by obsession with love and success, Gatsby creates an impractical dream for himself and Daisy.

    Read More

  • Slow and Steady Wins the Race: Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradburry

    1153 Words  | 3 Pages

    The most powerful motivation is greed and it only can be stopped with proper mediators but they must not become too excited and act foolish or their cause will become too big to consume. Great ideas for good causes take time, and warnings must be kept in mind, no matter how much the plan is needed to happen. Even though the world of a dystopian society is absolutely horrible, no government is ever overthrown easily. The exempt people of such societies, who call themselves leaders, lead lives of too much decadence as they can as they choose the lives of others. In “Burning Bright,” part three of Fahrenheit 451, Beatty says, “Old Montag wanted to fly near the sun and now that he’s burnt his damn wings, he wonders why.” This allusion demonstrates that Guy Montag and Kurt Vonnegut’s title character “Harrison Bergeron” both suffered like Icarus because they failed to heed warnings.

    Read More

  • Crabbe by William Bell

    681 Words  | 2 Pages

    Generally, adolescents feel as running away from home is a solution to all their problems. Most people think that running away from one’s problem leads to negative consequences, however, that is proven wrong, according to the novel Crabbe by William Bell. In the novel Crabbe by William Bell, 18-year-old Franklin Crabbe’s decision shows that running away is a considerable approach to solving one’s problems. He packs his bags and runs off into the woods in hopes of finding inner tranquility and freedom. Throughout his journey in the woods, Crabbe unexpectedly receives more than what he seeks for. In the woods, Crabbe receives great rewards such as quality moral support from a strong willed woman named Mary Pallas, he obtains many important survival skills, and he becomes an overall more responsible and mature person.

    Read More

  • Social Class In The Great Gatsby Essay

    519 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Great Gatsby written by F. Scott Fitzgerald in 1920 shows an insightful exploration of social class and the inability to change ones social class no matter how hard they attempt to. Fitzgerald was a great author in his ability to take himself out of reality in the 1920’s and write in The Great Gatsby the dangers of social climbing by comparing characters with regards to their social class. The desperation to achieve but ultimately failing the American Dream was explored through the characters of Jay Gatsby and Myrtle Wilson. I am going to investigate the inability to change one’s social class in 1920s America.

    Read More

  • The Great Gatsby - Dreams of Happiness

    1685 Words  | 4 Pages

    Every character in the novel has moments of feeling happy and endures a moment where they believe that they are about to achieve their dreams. Naturally everyone dreams of being a better person, having better things and in 1920’s America, the scheme of get rich quick. However each character had their dreams crushed in the novel mainly because of social and economical situations and their dream of happiness becomes a ‘dead dream’ leading them back to their ‘shallow lives’ or no life at all.

    Read More

  • The Great Gatsby Annalysis

    777 Words  | 2 Pages

    ...er and money are so powerful they can control someone. People criticize others who are lower than them but they don’t realize they were once in the bottom also. In the roaring 20’s Fitzgerald shows how the American Dream has deteriorated. The American Dream originally was about bettering yourself, discovery, and finding happiness. This changed for Gatsby instead he wanted money and to be involved in social circles he did not belong in.

    Read More

  • The Great Gatsby

    1401 Words  | 3 Pages

    Deteriorating moralities and optimistic beliefs of overnight wealth replaced strict traditional views on religion, family structure, and work ethics. In an era of such high optimism, the pioneering spirit of the American Dream was revitalized. The nouveaux riches often clashed with the established wealth, as evident throughout F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby. Fitzgerald’s narrator, Nick Carraway, suddenly finds himself submerged in the paper-thin morals, and shallow values of upper-class New York after migrating from the Western interior. Throughout the novel, Nick is highly cynical of American society. Thus, The Great Gatsby is Fitzgerald’s means of criticizing the worsening family structure of American society, the newfound materialistic lifestyles of Americans, an American society governed by corruption, and ultimately, the paradox of the American Dream.

    Read More

  • Social Class In The Great Gatsby

    1054 Words  | 3 Pages

    Gatsby believes in the aforementioned "American Dream." Thus, Gatsby believes that money alone will allow him to enter the upper class. However, the unspoken truth of the "American Dream" is that class mobility requires money and the culture typical of the upper class. Gatsby becomes wealthy, but his lack of this culture prevents him from fulfilling his goal of social mobility. Writer Andrew B. Trigg discusses Gatsby 's inability to climb the social ladder: "culture provides a barrier to entering the top echelons of the leisure class" (Trigg.) Throughout The Great Gatsby, Gatsby 's lack of taste is evident, which leads to the upper class 's rejection of him. Gatsby repeatedly displays his wealth in excessive ways. Gatsby throws extravagant parties, buys flamboyant clothes, and purchases an opulent car and mansion. Throughout the novel, these displays of wealth are met by criticism from those that Gatsby is trying to impress. Tom Buchanan, Daisy 's husband, and a man of inherited wealth, detests Gatsby. In Chapter seven, Tom frequently criticizes Gatsby for his gaudy displays of wealth. First, Tom criticizes Gatsby 's car: " 'Come on, Daisy, ' said

    Read More

  • The Rise And Fall Of The American Dream In The Great Gatsby

    1031 Words  | 3 Pages

    F.Scott Fitzgerald 's 'The Great Gatsby ' display what our society call the American Dream of a vulnerable gain of money, and fabricated fantasy Each main character in the novel leads a binary life, one in which they appear successful, and thus joyful, and one where the financial success is inappreciable, and yet they are happy.

    Read More

More about Babbitt By Lewis Sinclair

Open Document