1. Babbit
Sinclair Lewis's Babbitt is an extremely satirical novel that portrays a prosperous, middle-class businessman living in the modern city of Zenith during the 1920's. Lewis used the main character, George F. Babbitt, to illustrate a society that was becoming decadent in culture, morality, and ethics. Babbitt is the story of a man who seeks individuality and truth in life, but ultimately was unable to attain it in a world that was suffocated by total conformity.
George F. Babbitt is the main character in Lewis's novel and he was a man that epitomized the materialism and mediocrity of the American middle class. The Babbitts" lived in the neat, uniform community of Floral Heights with a comfortable home that was full of all of the most modern appliances and conveniences. Due to Babbitt's flourishing real estate business, he was able to afford a car, "the best of nationally advertised and quantitatively produced alarm-clocks, with all the modern attachments", an electric toaster, an electric percolator and countless other expensive, up to date conveniences. Babbitt was a man obsessed with things and though he realized that this was unfulfilling, he was not quite aware of how to attain a life that was fuller and meaningful. .
Throughout the novel, Lewis expressed his viewpoint that society was becoming a population of people conforming in order to be safe, to be one with the crowd and to be successful. Lewis also showed that this is an unfulfilling way to live. The ability for Babbitt, and the other businessmen in Floral Heights, to afford and acquire all of these objects is representative of the economic boom that America was in during the time that Lewis wrote Babbitt. .
Babbitt takes place during the early twenties and portrays the consumerism that was rampant. This materialism is shown in one way by Babbitt's intense need to show off his expensive purchases. "At the Nobby Men's Wear Shop he took his left hand off the steering-wheel to touch his scarf, and thought well of himself as one who bought expensive ties "and could pay cash for "em, too, by golly" .
Babbitt, in the pre-Depression 1920s, is conformity in every aspect. ... In Sinclair Lewis's Babbitt, Babbitt takes vacations to escape the hectic world of his life. ... He makes Babbitt out to be so conformist that it is ridiculous. ... "And, in a rush, Babbitt agreed. ... The narrator of Babbitt declares: "This autumn a Mr. ...
In the movie Rain Man, Raymond Babbitt is more unique than other savants because he is an autistic savant possessing expertise in more than one area. ... Research in the field of cognitive psychology has led to the development of several theories on expertise and mnemonics also serving as possible explanations for the extraordinary behaviors exhibited in autistic savants such as Raymond Babbitt. ... Thus, perhaps Babbitt's behavior is explained as being due to "visual imagery" or a "mnemonic tapestry" of some sort (Treffert, 1989). ...
In the movie Rain Man, Raymond Babbitt is more unique than other savants because he is an autistic savant possessing expertise in more than one area. ... Research in the field of cognitive psychology has led to the development of several theories on expertise and mnemonics also serving as possible explanations for the extraordinary behaviors exhibited in autistic savants such as Raymond Babbitt. ... Thus, perhaps Babbitt's behavior is explained as being due to "visual imagery" or a "mnemonic tapestry" of some sort (Treffert, 1989). ...
The flavor of America during the economic boom of the 1920's is captured within the setting of Sinclair Lewis's Babbitt. ... Lewis exemplifies this premise through the protagonist, George Babbitt, "That's one lovely sight!" ... The Babbitts and other citizens of Zenith, are materialistic, hopelessly complacent, and unable to think for themselves. ... It is the George Babbitts of Zenith who buy the same cars, obtain information form the same sources, and think the same thoughts that perpetuate this intolerance. ... Though Babbitt and his friends perceive themselves, as highl...
In Rain Man, starring Tom Cruise as the ruthless car-salesman, Charlie Babbitt, discovers that his father had a three-million-dollar fortune that was left behind after the man's death. ... Through his charm and his manipulative talks, he was able to find out that the person in charge of the trust fund, who was a doctor at a mental institute called, "Wallbrook," where he meets his older brother, Raymond Babbitt, for the first time. ...
When Babbitt was published in 1922, it yet again "plunged the nation into literary controversy- (Schorer, 12). Babbitt bared the hypocrisy and impudence of middle-class businessmen. ... That can reasonably be conferred, seeing as how Americans were so diversely opinionated on the subject matter of books such as Main Street and Babbitt. ...
Every society goes through periods of change every so often. As various forces are at work among the people and conditions are altered, tensions mount and attitudes change. In the United States, the 1920's were just such a time of hesitation between new beliefs and traditional values. Between the dr...
The federal debt of $5.7 Trillion, or $21,000 per child. This chapter covers all U.S. debt, called National Debt (national debt is here defined as the sum of all recognized debt of federal, state & local governments, international, private households, business and domestic financial sectors, including federal debt to trust funds - but excludes the huge un-funded contingent liabilities of social security, government pensions and medicare). The National Debt Total is now over $27 Trillion, or $101,000 per man, woman and child. To get you started since a picture is worth a thousand wo...