Businessman George F. Babbitt loves the latest appliances, brand names, and the Republican Party. In fact, he loves being a solid citizen even more than he loves his wife. But Babbitt comes to resent the middle-class trappings he has worked so hard to acquire. Realizing that his life is devoid of meaning, he grows determined to transcend his trivial existence and search for greater purpose. Babbitt’s quest for meaning forces him to ponder what it truly means to be an American.
About the author
Sinclair Lewis (1885-1951) was an American novelist, short-story writer, and playwright, and was the first writer from the United States to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature. Known for an insightful and critical take on American society in the early 20th century, Lewis is also notable for his strong female characters. Born in Minnesota, Lewis began writing potboiler fiction shortly after graduating from Yale, and experienced blockbuster success with his debut novel Main Street in 1920. Other notable works include Babbitt (1922), Elmer Gantry (1927), and It Can’t Happen Here (1935).