Babbit by Sinclair Lewis Essays - 1737 Words

Babbitt: Conformity In the Sinclair Lewis novel Babbitt, the character of Babbitt is completely controlled by the power of conformity. Conformity is so powerful that even after babbitt realizes the stifling nature of the society in which he lives he is powerless to change his fate as a member of conformist society. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;George F. Babbitt is a man who is completely controlled by the conformist society in which he lives. Pressure to conform lies in all aspects of Babbitts life. Relationships, family, social life, and business are all based on his ability to conform to Zeniths preset standards of thought and action. All of Babbitts thoughts are controlled by society. Thoughts that are not those of society are†¦show more content†¦Babbitt does these things in hope of improving his social status. This conformist man is exactly who Sinclair Lewis wanted to show the reader, a man whos life is based on the ideals and standards of others. quot;Villages-overgrown towns-three -quarters of a million people still dressing, eating, building houses, attending church, to make an impression on their neighbors.quot; (Lewis). This is what Lewis thought of American society and he used Babbitt to voice his opinions to his readers. In fact that passage was intended to be included in the original introduction of Babbitt, which was never published. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Babbitt does well in conformist society because in the beginning of the novel he accepts all the standards, goals, ideals, likes, and dislikes of society. Babbitts though mirrors all those around him and he is therefore accepted in society. At first Babbitt lives in the illusion of happiness. The happiness Babbitt experiences is not genuine because he has replaced his desires with those of society. Since Babbitt is controlled by society his goals are also controlled by it. The goals set by society are economic and material worth, social standing, and conservative thought. Since Babbitt has achieved, at least in part, these goals he is in a sense fooled into believing he is truly happy. Babbitts true desires however are not those of society he dreams of nature instead of modernization, young women instead of hisShow MoreRelated Conspicuous Consumption in Sinclair Lewis Babbit Essay1941 Words   |  8 PagesConspicuous Consumption in Sinclair Lewis Babbit      Ã‚   The idea of conspicuous consumption, or buying unnecessary items to show ones wealth, can be seen in Babbitt by Sinclair Lewis.   Lewis describes the main character of the book, George F. Babbitt, as a person who has his values and priorities all mixed up.   Babbitt buys the most expensive and modern material goods just to make himself happy and make people around his aware of his status.   He is more concerned about these items thanRead More The 20s And Sinclair Lewis Essay1646 Words   |  7 Pages The theme in books by Sinclair Lewis1 relates to the time in which they were written. In both Babbit (1922) and Main Street (1920) Lewis shows us the American culture of the 1920s. He writes about the growing cities, the small towns, the common American man, the strong American need to conform, cultural integration, morals (or lack of in some cases), and he touches upon the women lib movement. All of these and more successfully describe the 1920s. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; quot;The partiesRead MoreSocietys Influence on the American Dream1202 Words   |  5 Pagesrather than pleasing himself. Paralleling Fullers quotation, Sinclair Lewis Babbit is a satirical portrayal of a man in search of himself enveloped by a society of hypocrisy . George F. Babbit, a middle class man, struggles to find social mobility and beatitude. Babbit overlooks the essential items of life and concentrates his attention towards material goals and impressing the upper class. Due to the loss of his best friend, Babbit realizes his life has no meaning and rebels against societysRead More Babbit Essay1088 Words   |  5 PagesBabbit The depressing tragedy known as Babbitt, by Lewis Sinclair, accurately portrays the convention of life in the 1920’s. Sinclair precisely evokes the conformity and orthodox life styles that shaped a growing culture. Man, in the 1920’s, is caught in a lifestyle where he is continually fed on what to think. Lewis cunningly explains the constraints of convention that plagued George Babbitt, and mocks society as a whole for its lack of liberal views. Babbitt throughout the novel seems to beRead More Superiority of Races in Sinclair Lewis Babbitt Essay example2147 Words   |  9 PagesSuperiority of Races in Babbit      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Hatred, intolerance, prejudice, and narrow-mindedness are all terms that can be applied when describing someone who is a bigot.   By these terms George F. Babbitt, the protagonist in Sinclair Lewis Babbitt, and many of his acquaintances are quite the bigots toward all those that appear different than he is especially immigrants and minorities in America.   The blame should not be placed squarely on these mens shoulders for possessing such hate