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Main Street / Babbitt

sinclair lewis john hersey

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In Main Street and Babbitt, Sinclair Lewis drew on his boyhood memories of Sauk Centre, Minnesota, to reveal as no writer had done before the complacency and conformity of middle-class life in America. The remarkable novels presented here in this Library of America volume combine brilliant satire with a lingering affection for the men and women, who, as Lewis wrote of Babbitt, "want "to seize something more than motor cars and a house before it's too late.""

Main Street (1920), Lewis's first triumph, was a phenomenal event in American publishing and cultural history. Lewis's idealistic, imaginative heroine, Carol Kennicott, longs "to get [her] hands on one of those prairie towns and make it beautiful," but when her doctor husband brings her to Gopher Prairie, she finds that the romance of the American frontier has dwindled to the drab reality of the American Middle West. Carol first struggles against and then flees the social tyrannies and cultural emptiness of Gopher Prairie, only to submit at last to the conventions of village life. The great romantic satire of its decade, Main Street is a wry, sad, funny account of a woman who attempts to challenge the hypocrisy and narrow-mindedness of her community.

"I know of no American novel that more accurately presents the real America," wrote H.L. Mencken when Babbitt appeared in 1922. "As an old professor of Babbittry I welcome him as an almost perfect specimen. Every American city swarms with his brothers. He is America incarnate, exuberant and exquisite."

In the character of George F. Babbitt, the boisterous, vulgar, worried, gadget-loving real estate man from Zenith, Lewis fashioned a new and enduring figure in American literature—the total conformist. Babbitt is a "joiner," who thinks and feels with the crowd. Lewis surrounds him with a gallery of familiar American types—small businessman, Rotarians, Elks, boosters, supporters of evangelical Christianity. In biting satirical scenes of club lunches, after-dinner speeches, trade association conventions, fishing trips and Sunday School committees, Lewis reproduces the noisy restlessness of American commercial culture.

In 1930 Sinclair Lewis was the first American to be awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, largely for his achievement in Babbitt. These early novels not only define a crucial period in American history—from America's "coming of age" just before World War I to the dizzying boom of the twenties—they also continue to astonish us with essential truths about the country we live in today.

898 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1,1992

This edition

Format
898 pages, Hardcover
Published
January 1, 1992 by Library of America
ISBN
9780940450615
ASIN
0940450615
Language
English

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About the author

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sinclair lewis

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Novelist Harry Sinclair Lewis satirized middle-class America in his 22 works, including Babbitt (1922) and Elmer Gantry (1927) and first received a Nobel Prize for literature in 1930.

Middle-class values and materialism attach unthinking George F. Babbitt, the narrow-minded, self-satisfied main character person in the novel of Sinclair Lewis.

People awarded "his vigorous and graphic art of description and his ability to create, with wit and humor, new types of characters."

He knowingly, insightfully, and critically viewed capitalism and materialism between the wars. People respect his strong characterizations of modern women.

Henry Louis Mencken wrote, "[If] there was ever a novelist among us with an authentic call to the trade...it is this red-haired tornado from the Minnesota wilds."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinclai...

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Community Reviews

Rating(4.1 / 5.0, 29 votes)
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29 reviews All reviews
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MTheSestrim
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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Main Street

"Main Street" is an outstanding satire that delves deep into the life of a small town in America. Carol Milford, a young and idealistic woman, marries the country doctor Will Kennicott and relocates to his hometown of Gopher Prairie in Minnesota. With great enthusiasm, she plans to transform this town into an idyllic intellectual and aesthetic utopian hamlet. However, she soon discovers the numerous and formidable roadblocks that stand in her way. Anti-intellectualism prevails, provincial politics hold sway, and local gossip runs rampant, all of which are deeply ingrained in the very fabric of Main Street.

Carol's attempts to bring about change are met with resistance and ridicule from the townspeople. She finds herself constantly at odds with the narrow-mindedness and conservatism that pervade the community. Despite her best efforts, she struggles to make a significant impact and realizes that the task of transforming Main Street is far more difficult than she initially anticipated.

Nevertheless, Carol refuses to give up easily. She continues to fight for her vision, even in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles. Her story serves as a powerful commentary on the challenges and limitations of trying to effect change in a small, traditional town.
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Zaigham_69
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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Life

I have to admit that I didn't quite appreciate the style of writing in this particular piece. The constant long listing of names really made it a bit tiresome to read. It felt like the author was more focused on getting all those names out there rather than creating a smooth and engaging flow. However, on the positive side, I did enjoy the story line. It was quite interesting and had the potential to be set during any period in time. This flexibility made it more relatable and allowed my imagination to run wild. I could picture the events unfolding in different eras, with different characters and circumstances. Despite the flaw in the writing style, the story line managed to capture my attention and keep me reading. It made me wonder what would happen next and how the characters would overcome their challenges. Overall, it was an okay read, with a great story line that was slightly hindered by the writing style.

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Tomoko-san
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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This story served as such a powerful reminder of my upbringing in the Midwest.

I was raised in Illinois, and it was all too easy to witness the prevalence of gossipy, nosy individuals and the organized group mentality that often led to the speaking out against and rejection of anything new.

It was truly a remarkable journey back in time. As I read this, I had the distinct feeling that I had relocated back to the Midwest.

The writing in this piece is sharp, poignant, and piercing. It has a certain charm that evokes a sense of nostalgia.

However, while I cherish the memories and the nostalgia it brings, I have decided that I will be remaining in Los Angeles.

Despite the allure of the Midwest, Los Angeles offers a different kind of lifestyle and opportunities that I am not willing to give up.

This story has allowed me to reflect on my roots and appreciate where I come from, but it has also reaffirmed my choice to make a life for myself in a different part of the country.

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rotokun
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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I read only Main Street as one of the Top 100 Novels listed by The Modern Library.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Main Street and found it difficult to set the book down. This came as a surprise to me because, as the jacket summarizes, this novel is mainly about a young housewife experiencing life in a rural town in Minnesota (not far from Minneapolis/St. Paul) in the early 20th century. What made this book so captivating was its vivid description of life on "Main Street, USA" in a small town during the 1920s - 1930s. The reader is completely immersed in the setting and characters. There is even a fair amount of outmoded slang that I had to look up on Wikipedia to understand.

One of the themes of the novel is a woman's place in American society during that era. Carol Kennicott, the protagonist, is an intelligent and capable young woman who marries a country doctor after a very brief courtship at the beginning of the novel. The rest of the story follows Carol as she strives to find intrinsic satisfaction and purpose in her life in the new setting of Gopher Prairie, MN. She challenges societal and cultural norms throughout her struggle.

Sinclair Lewis describes the characters in such a way that I am eager to see what happens to them next. They are each quite unique, almost like caricatures. I would compare this book to 'Winesburg, Ohio' or 'The Magnificent Ambersons' as there are many different characters interacting in ways crucial to the plot. The culture and society of the town, already in motion when the protagonist enters, is like a powerful, unstoppable force.

After reading this book, I read the biography and timeline of the author - Sinclair Lewis - at the end. I found Sinclair to be a very interesting person. I plan to come back and read Babbitt, which I have since seen referenced as a cultural touchstone for America and the middle class in the early 20th century. I was especially intrigued to learn that Sinclair had spoken with Eugene V. Debs on more than one occasion. Debs was a Socialist who lived in my hometown of Terre Haute, Indiana. Also, many of Lewis' novels and short stories were adapted into plays and movies. I am excited to see how many of the movies still exist.

'Main Street' increased my interest in American Literature. I was also intrigued by how it seems similar to novels written by other American authors such as Theodore Dreiser, Booth Tarkington, and Sherwood Anderson. The 1920s and 1930s are truly fascinating times in American history!
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Little_Sheepling
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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I've finally managed to find the time to read Sinclair Lewis's Babbitt. It truly is an engaging read.

Unlike the scathing Elmer Gantry and the terrifying It Can't Happen Here, Babbitt showcases Lewis's humorous side, as opposed to his sarcastic one. We can actually laugh along with Geo. F. Babbitt and empathize with his difficult situation, rather than just constantly making fun of him and his flaws.

He is the quintessential middle-class conformist. However, when his closest friend faces a crisis, the middle-aged Babbitt decides to act out and experiences a taste of rebellion. Although he ultimately returns to the mainstream, he still holds out some hope that his son Ted will have the freedom to live his life according to his own wishes.

This book is highly recommended for those who enjoy exploring the complex nature of human characters and the challenges of conforming in society.
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astromancy
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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The beginning of this work seemed really great.

However, as it progressed, it became overly burdened with an excessive number of details, and this is especially true when it comes to the description of Main Street.

Considering that the story is set in a small town, there are far too many prominent characters.

This makes the narrative a bit convoluted and hard to follow.

With some serious editing, this could have been salvaged.

Personally, I didn't even bother to read Babbitt.

I simply don't want to waste my precious time finishing a book that has already lost my attention.

It's a pity really, because the initial premise had a lot of potential.

But unfortunately, it failed to maintain that momentum and instead got lost in a sea of unnecessary details and characters.

Maybe with a more refined approach, this could have been a really good read.

But as it stands now, it's just not something that I'm interested in pursuing further.

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Joricardo
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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My second favorite Lewis novel is this one.

It's not as engaging as Babbitt, which I consider the best.

The story in this novel progresses at a somewhat slower pace and there are more sections that might seem a bit dry.

However, what makes it still worth reading is the main character.

The main character is someone that readers can relate to.

Despite the flaws in the pacing and the dry spots, the connection that can be formed with the main character makes the novel an interesting read.

It allows the readers to step into the shoes of the character and experience the story from their perspective.

This aspect of relatability compensates for the other不足之处 in the novel and makes it a worthy addition to the works of Lewis.

Overall, while it may not be as outstanding as Babbitt, it still has its own charm and appeal.
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Kougyokuz
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
July 15,2025
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Carol was coming to the realization that there was something even more unsettling than intelligent hatred, and that was demanding love.

She suspected that she was being gracefully dull and standardized in the Smails' presence, but they sensed the heretic in her. With a forward-stooping eagerness, they sat and tried to extract her ludicrous concepts for their amusement. They were like the Sunday-afternoon crowd at the Zoo, staring at the monkeys, poking fingers, making faces, and giggling at the resentment of the more dignified creatures.

With a loose-lipped, superior, village smile, Uncle Whittier hinted, "What's this I hear about your thinking Gopher Prairie ought to be all torn down and rebuilt, Carrie? I don't know where folks get these new-fangled ideas. Lots of farmers in Dakota are getting 'em these days. About co-operation. They think they can run stores better than storekeepers! Huh!"

"Whit and I didn't need no co-operation as long as we was farming!" Aunt Bessie triumphed. "Carrie, tell your old auntie now: don't you ever go to church on Sunday? You do go sometimes? But you ought to go every Sunday! When you're as old as I am, you'll learn that no matter how smart folks think they are, God knows a whole lot more than they do, and then you'll realize and be glad to go and listen to your pastor!"

In the manner of those who had just witnessed a two-headed calf, they repeated that they had "never heard such funny ideas!" They were astounded to learn that a real, tangible person, living in Minnesota and married to their own flesh-and-blood relation, could apparently believe that divorce might not always be immoral; that illegitimate children did not carry a special and guaranteed curse; that there were ethical authorities outside of the Hebrew Bible; that men could drink wine and not end up in the gutter; that the capitalistic system of distribution and the Baptist wedding ceremony were not known in the Garden of Eden; that mushrooms were as edible as corn-beef hash; that the word "dude" was no longer frequently used; that there were Ministers of the Gospel who accepted evolution; that some people of apparent intelligence and business ability did not always vote the Republican ticket straight; that it was not a universal custom to wear scratchy flannels next to the skin in winter; that a violin was not inherently more immoral than a chapel organ; that some poets did not have long hair; and that Jews were not always pedlers or pantsmakers.
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