Babbitt

Babbitt

In Babbitt , Sinclair Lewis crafts a satirical portrait of George F. Babbitt , a prosperous, middle-aged real estate agent in the fictional city of Zenith. Living in the 1920s, Babbitt is the quintessential conformist, a man whose life revolves around material success, social status, and community approval. He follows the routine of an ordinary businessman, but beneath his enthusiasm for societal norms, he grapples with a deep dissatisfaction. When he begins to rebel against the constraints of his rigid lifestyle—exploring infidelity, political rebellion, and artistic pursuits— Babbitt realizes that his pursuit of individualism only results in alienation and failure. Through Babbitt’s struggles, Lewis examines the hollow nature of the American Dream and critiques the pressures of conformity in a capitalist society. The novel is a profound exploration of identity, disillusionment, and the search for genuine happiness.