The book presents the crisis of the 1920s as difficult for individuals to define themselves as well as create an original and personal meaning of their life. It reflects the crisis as one where the society expects a person to live up to their standards and expectations which are almost impossible for self-realization (Arnestrand 50). The society deprives one of his or her options through the mandate for conformity and standardization. As far as there are limited options people get from the community, Babbitt’s conflicts with himself reflect the fact that people are living in life where they are struggling with themselves. People normally experience challenges with forming an identity which makes it hard for them to admit to the terms of life that are presented to them. The books reflect the fact that people in the teenage are more inclined towards asking questions about the meaning of life and as they age they become more settled and lose the urge to ask about the meaning of life (Arnestrand 55).
Therefore, the book of Babbitt reflects a situation where the private projects concerns and interests of people and the demands of the society usually clash. Therefore, it presents several approaches for dealing with the existing conflicts of interests while ensuring that the people in the society are not compromised. In the crisis of 1920s, people are expected to create meaning where they can find a purpose that is fulfilling in their lives as a result of the fact that life has no inherent meaning (Arnestrand 53). Also, in the 1920s crisis if shown to provide the realization that responsibility has a direct relation to freedom. That is, people have the freedom to choose what they wish to be, and since they are the one who make the choice, they are obliged to accept the responsibility of who they are.
Work Cited
Arnestrand, Elin Jeanett. Sinclair Lewis and the American 1920s Sinclair Lewis and the American 1920s. Diss. University of Oslo, 2007.
