‘Babbitt’ represents one of Sinclair’s most profound and thought-provoking works of satire and resulted in Sinclair winning the Nobel prize.
The story follows George Babbitt, owner of a successful real-estate business, husband to a stunning wife and father of three children. he seemingly has everything a person could want and yet happiness eludes him. Finding himself in this maelstrom of emotion George Babbitt decides to strike out against the machine of society; among other acts of dissent, he dabbles with liberal politics and decides to have an affair. But will the cost of this rebellion be a price Babbitt is willing to pay?
The novel is a criticism of a superficial and materialistic society that has come to place ‘things’ at the centre of our existence, where we are expected to behave and act a certain way. It is a haunting, humorous and profound novel that remains incredibly relevant to this day, if you loved Christian Bale’s ‘American Psycho’, you’ll love this classic.
Harry Sinclair Lewis (1885-1951) was an American author and playwright . As well as a Yale graduate, he was the first American to win the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1930. He became renowned for his biting critiques and satire of American capitalism and materialism in the inter-war years. Additionally he is remembered for his strong characterisations of modern working women in his novels. His most notable works include "The Trail of the Hawk", "Main Street", "Free Air", and "Babbitt".
