Babbitt is a satirical novel about American culture and society that critiques the vacuity of middle class life and the social pressure toward conformity. The controversy provoked by Babbitt was influential in the decision to award the Nobel Prize in Literature to Lewis in 1930.
The story revolves around George F. Babbitt, a successful but deeply dissatisfied man in his forties. Babbitt is a typical representative of the American middle class: he is wealthy, conservative, and outwardly content with his life, which includes a comfortable home, a respectable career, and a family. However, his life is shallow, driven by materialism, conformity, and a blind adherence to societal expectations.
Babbitt's professional life as a real estate agent in Zenith is marked by his loyalty to business practices that prioritize profit over ethics, and his personal life is dominated by a desire for social status and the approval of his peers. He is deeply entrenched in the status quo and spends much of his time engaging in meaningless social activities, such as attending club meetings and participating in civic organizations.
Despite his outward success, Babbitt feels a growing sense of dissatisfaction with his life. He begins to question the conformity and emptiness of his existence, which leads to a series of personal crises. He has an affair with a younger woman, engages in a brief rebellion against the pressures of society, and becomes disillusioned with the values that once defined him.
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Categories: Fiction Historical Literature