# Chapter XIV explained — Babbitt

> Chapter companion for Babbitt by Sinclair Lewis.

## What happens

Babbitt becomes a recognized orator and campaigner for Lucas Prout in the local election, opposing Seneca Doane. He delivers speeches, including a lecture on real estate and a campaign address in South Zenith, reveling in his role as a prominent citizen and defender of the standardized American way of life.

## Themes in this chapter

### Business and American Capitalism

Babbitt's campaign speeches and real estate lecture celebrate the businessman as the ideal citizen, equating success with moral and civic virtue.

### Conformity and Materialism

Babbitt's oratory promotes the 'Standardized American Citizen' as a model of material success and social conformity, rejecting foreign ideas and individualism.

## Character check-ins

### George F. Babbitt

Emerges as a prominent orator and campaigner for Lucas Prout, delivering speeches and relishing his role as a solid citizen.

### Virgil Gunch

Compliments Babbitt on his oratorical fame, noting the newspaper coverage of his lecture.

### Paul Riesling

Attends Babbitt's campaign speech in South Zenith with his wife Zilla, expressing admiration for Babbitt's stamina.

### Zilla Riesling

Accompanies Paul to Babbitt's campaign speech.

### Theodore Roosevelt Babbitt

Attends his father's campaign speech and comments on his ability to connect with the audience.

### Verona Babbitt

Attends the campaign speech with the family.

## Key lines

> He entertained a Smoker of the Men's Club of the Chatham Road presbyterian Church with Irish, Jewish, and Chinese dialect stories.

Babbitt performed ethnic stereotype jokes at a church men's club event.

_Highlights Babbitt's use of humor to fit in and gain social approval._

> I tell you, Zenith and her sister-cities are producing a new generation of Americans: fellows with hair on their chests and smiles in their eyes and adding-machines in their offices.

Babbitt boasts that Zenith and other American cities are creating a new breed of masculine, cheerful, business-minded men.

_Captures Babbitt's ideal of the 'Regular Guy' and his boosterism for American capitalism._

> He did not confuse audiences by silly subtleties; Prout represented honest industry, Seneca Doane represented whining laziness, and you could take your choice.

Babbitt simplified the election into a clear choice between hard work and laziness, avoiding complex arguments.

_Illustrates Babbitt's simplistic, populist campaign style._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/babbitt_se/chapters/chapter-xiv
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/babbitt_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/babbitt_se/chapters