Babbitt

 

Sinclair Lewis was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1930 for the five novels that he had written in the preceding decade: Main Street, Babbitt, Arrowsmith, Elmer Gantry and Dodsworth. I remember Kirk Douglas starring in the movie Elmer Gantry (1960), but I don’t remember ever reading Lewis or even hearing of Babbitt. The story of Babbitt came to my attention because I have tickets to see the premier of the play in November with Matthew Broderick at the La Jolla Playhouse. I attend the theater over the course of the year with some dear friends, and I thought I might enjoy the play more if I first read the book. Babbitt was available in audio format on Libby.

 

According to Wikipedia, “Babbitt has entered the English language as “a person and especially a business or professional man who conforms unthinkingly to prevailing middle-class standards.” Essentially, Babbitt is a boob of a character who overestimates his value to his family and community. At the start of the book he freely gives obnoxious lectures about his criticisms of people who think outside of society’s norms. In the midst of a midlife crisis, he experiments with trying on progressive values, but in the end, he retreats back to the comfort of being a “normal” guy. This story is a spoof on middle class life in the Midwest during the Prohibition Era. The actual location was fictional, but it could have been any of many towns, including my home town of Fort Wayne, Indiana. In the setting of this blog, the book does include an attempted murder. Babbitt’s best friend shot his own wife, but she survived and this character deeply regretted his action.

 

It amazes me that this was a book that was included in the awarding Lewis with the Nobel Prize. While an interesting period novel, I’m not impressed with the book and would not recommend it, unless you’re headed to the theater. I’m very curious what Matthew Broadwick will do with his interpretation of the novel.