Sinclair Lewis

InMainStreetandBabbitt,SinclairLewisdrewonhisboyhoodmemoriesofSaukCentre,Minnesota,torevealasnowriterhaddonebeforethecomplacencyandconformityofmiddle-classlifeinAmerica.Theseremarkablenovelscombinebrilliantsatirewithalingeringaffectionforthemenandwomenwho,asLewiswroteofBabbitt,want"toseizesomethingmorethanmotorcarsandahousebeforeit'stoolate."MainStreet(1920),Lewis'sfirsttriumph,wasaphenomenaleventinAmericanpublishingandculturalhistory.Lewis'sidealistic,imaginativeheroine,CarolKennicott,longs"toget[her]handsononeoftheseprairietownsandmakeitbeautiful,"butwhenherdoctorhusbandbringshertoGopherPrairie,shefindsthattheromanceoftheAmericanfrontierhasdwindledtothedrabrealityoftheAmericanMiddleWest.CarolfirststrugglesagainstandthenfleesthesocialtyranniesandculturalemptinessofGopherPrairie,onlytosubmitatlasttotheconventionsofvillagelife.Thegreatromanticsatireofitsdecade,MainStreetisawry,sad,funnyaccountofawomanwhoattemptstochallengethehypocrisyandnarrow-mindednessofhercommunity."IknowofnoAmericannovelthatmoreaccuratelypresentstherealAmerica,"wroteH.L.MenckenwhenBabbittappearedin1922."AsanoldprofessorofBabbittryIwelcomehimasanalmostperfectspecimen.EveryAmericancityswarmswithhisbrothers.HeisAmericaincarnate,exuberantandexquisite."InthecharacterofGeorgeF.Babbitt,theboisterous,vulgar,worried,gadget-lovingrealestatemanfromZenith,LewisfashionedanewandenduringfigureinAmericanliterature-thetotalconformist.Babbittisa"joiner,"whothinksandfeelswiththecrowd.LewissurroundshimwithagalleryoffamiliarAmericantypes-smallbusinessmen,Rotarians,Elks,boosters,supportersofevangelicalChristianity.Inbitinglysatiricalscenesofclublunches,after-dinnerspeeches,tradeassociationconventions,fishingtrips,andSundaySchoolcommittees,LewisreproducesthenoisyrestlessnessofAmericancommercialculture.In1930SinclairLewiswasthefirstAmericantobeawardedtheNobelPrizeforliterature,largelyforhisachievementinBabbitt.TheseearlynovelsnotonlydefineacrucialperiodinAmericanhistory-fromAmerica's"comingofage"justbeforeWorldWarItothedizzyingboomofthetwenties-theyalsocontinuetoastonishuswithessentialtruthsaboutthecountryweliveintoday.