Sinclair Lewis, the author of Babbitt, devised several key literary elements to explain the full effect and purpose of writing his novel. Babbitt is a satirical look, not just at one man, but at an entire society. He denounces the hypocrisy and mechanization of American society in the 1920s. In the story Lewis focuses on his main character George Babbitt, the protagonist of much of the book, who is a businessman with lofty goals and a desire to climb the social class ladder. To fully realize his opinions and beliefs, Lewis used literary effects of irony and theme. The novel begins in the 1920s, a decade that began with economic boom and greedy consumerism, only to end in crash and depression. This was a parallel used by Lewis to illustrate the theme of the story. He was trying to show the materialism and dark attitudes of the American middle class during this time period. Lewis bluntly criticizes his own characters to get his point across. Here he writes ”Had no satisfaction with the new water cooler! And it was the best of water coolers, up to date, scientific and with the right thought. It had cost a great deal of money (a virtue in itself)” (Lewis p. 31). This quote reflects Babbitt's enthusiasm for material objects and how such objects reflect his position in society. Babbitt's morals and values ​​were full of holes, which is what Lewis wanted to point out. He chose to satirize Babbitt as if he lived in a fairytale world, unaware of what was really happening around him. The irony is very strong and evident throughout the story. Because Babbitt is the ultimate conformist, he must uphold his beliefs and values ​​even if they are superficial and transparent. He spends his life trying to relate to Babbitt's “s... middle of paper” who made the public understand what the American middle class was like in the 1920s and how they ultimately lost everything. I enjoyed reading the novel. Americans today, in the 21st century, should read Babbitt and learn from the mistakes Babbitt made. He chose to cheat on his wife but ultimately realized that he no longer wanted to be a part of it, to be "free" of it. Americans must try to free themselves from the unfaithful vibes they hear when they go out and “cheat.” “We” need to transform our society into more moral people. This can be difficult to do, due to the history behind this practice and its extent, but there is always room and time for change. If Lewis "watched" Babbitt grow and change, we Americans can grow and change too! Commitment of Honor ________________________________________________