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3.58 AVERAGE
3.58 AVERAGE
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
A relatively entertaining satire. Overall I enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would. The ending was incredibly abrupt.
enjoyed a lot more as it went on. Started very slow with no plot at all, but the pace picks up.
Similar themes to Gatsby but all a lot more fleshed out and the characters seem more human i think?
Similar themes to Gatsby but all a lot more fleshed out and the characters seem more human i think?
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Widely read in his time but later overshadowed by contemporaries like Fitzgerald and Hemingway, Sinclair Lewis's work exposes America's deepest beliefs about class, labor, business, consumerism, and what makes a life meaningful (or not). Though Babbitt was written in 1922, the prejudices and values it expounds on are still those of America today, shown through the hypocritical, people-pleasing, conservative-leaning real estate mogul George Babbitt.
Reading this book in 2025 reveals how little has changed about American society as the title character loudly trumpets "good old American values" of free business enterprise, quashing labor movements, deregulation, and keeping out immigrants, the dark side of which is shown at the novel's conclusion.
But more valuable than Sinclair's political commentary is his social commentary, in that, scene by scene, and over the course of the novel, we come to realize that George Babbitt's life of complacent, consumerist conformity is ultimately an empty one, vacant of deeper meaning or accomplishment, with Babbitt himself understanding this to varying degrees throughout the novel. I can't recommend this novel enough, and fully intend on reading more of Lewis's work, both as a way of understanding this important period of American history, and the inner workings of American values.
Reading this book in 2025 reveals how little has changed about American society as the title character loudly trumpets "good old American values" of free business enterprise, quashing labor movements, deregulation, and keeping out immigrants, the dark side of which is shown at the novel's conclusion.
But more valuable than Sinclair's political commentary is his social commentary, in that, scene by scene, and over the course of the novel, we come to realize that George Babbitt's life of complacent, consumerist conformity is ultimately an empty one, vacant of deeper meaning or accomplishment, with Babbitt himself understanding this to varying degrees throughout the novel. I can't recommend this novel enough, and fully intend on reading more of Lewis's work, both as a way of understanding this important period of American history, and the inner workings of American values.
dark
funny
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Interesting perspective on middle class, small town life early in the twentieth century.
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
funny
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
challenging
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I thought it was satire and was like yes, great! But then it seemed more like it was glamorizing it. But then it fell somewhere in between to where it seemed like Lewis was trying to make it satirical, but his own wish to be a part of this society and these top few white “elite” men who try everything they can to stay on top and to keep white men on top kept coming through too strongly. And so it was just another story about mediocre white men doing their shitty things and still being on top of society and running shit. It’s one of those where the theory of it was much better than the execution; if he had gone full satire, especially during the time he wrote it, and if he had made the politics of it come through more with more intent, it could have been fantastic. But he was just another mediocre white man writing a book about mediocre white men, and somehow it’s still supposedly an essential book to read. Rude.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism
I enjoyed the character arc of Babbit, I did not care for the ensemble cast narration
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes