Babbitt by Sinclair Lewis

Babbitt 

Sinclair Lewis 

Published 1922  

American Novel  

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐  

I am so excited to share this book. It was very "1920's America" and extremely captivating and entertaining - the only book I wanted to read when I had time to read. So much was unfolding at once; there never was a dull moment. 

George Babbitt, the protagonist, was the typical American family man, living the "American Dream," with a wife and kids, running a successful real estate business, with state-of-the-art house and fancy vehicle, attending church, voting in elections, rubbing shoulders with the big wigs, and considered a fairly important man of the community. He was pleased with himself to be morally righteous, always critical of what was wrong with others and the world. He was everything he thought he was supposed to be, anxious to please everyone and to fit in or get along. Image was everything!

As readers get to know George, the layers begin to peel and the hypocrisy is exposed. George Babbitt was a liar, a fake, a cheat, and a phony. He was not as wise or intelligent or even as informed as he hoped everyone believed he was. Nonetheless, George was somewhat satisfied with his fraudulent exterior.

But that was all it was -- an exterior -- and at some point, even George realized he was still always miserable. He began to change outer shells. He tried on different masks, thinking a different political party may gratify him, or a different woman, a different group of friends, a different scene, or a different activity. Unfortunately, nothing pleased him. He was still the same old discontented, unsatisfied, inconsistent, miserable George, and he was utterly out of control.

While Babbitt is considered a satire of living the American Dream during the prohibition period of the 1920s, and much of Babbitt's secret thoughts and private behaviors are comical, the story isn't all-humorous. That is because this timeless story is very relatable and a mirror for real life. 

Some focus only on Babbitt exposing the American Dream as a mockery, because naturally the American Dream is not what gives people peace; but I think Sinclair is shining light on a bigger issue: universal discontentment of man, because restlessness is part of human nature. 

Sinclair revealed genuine questions man has been asking himself probably forever: 

What is the use of life?

What purpose was man made?

Was man made for self-fulfillment?

What is the solution to boredom?

What is the cure for living?

These are great questions, and all of us should be able to answer them or similar ones at some point in our life. 

Now, I am going to share the very ending of the story, but believe me, I have given no spoilers. The meat of this story is the entire thing, and there truly is no ending. It is a story that continues forever. 

The ending was somewhat redemptive, as George finally relinquished control and accepted that his son did not want to go to college. He admitted,

 I've never done a single thing I've wanted to in my whole life! I don't know's I've accomplished anything except just get along. 

And his final advice to his son:

Take the factory job, if you want. Don't be scared of the family. No, nor all of Zenith. Nor of yourself, the way I've been. Go ahead, old man! The world is yours!

Sinclair never did directly answer those questions I listed above, but it was not necessary to the story. The point was and is: man needs to answer these questions, and they are questions we can figure out for ourselves as we live our own lives in our world today.