Sinclair lewis 18851951 a social satire, main street became a bestseller soon after its publication, fascinating readers with its biting humor and realistic portrayal of smalltown communities. Sinclair lewis, american novelist and social critic who punctured american complacency with his broadly drawn, widely popular satirical novels. Main streetis asatirical novelwritten bysinclair lewis, and published in 1920. Its not the most obviously exciting read, but it finds danger, excitement and drama hidden in the every. Read a plot overview of the entire book or a chapter by chapter summary and analysis. Read main street online, free books by sinclair lewis. He won the nobel prize for literature in 1930, the first given to an american. The story is set in gopher prairie, minnesota, a fictionalized version of sauk centre, minnesota, lewis hometown.
Main street is a novel by sinclair lewis that was first published in 1920. Sparknotes is here for you weve got everything you need to ace or teach. Jane smiley continues her series on the novel with a look at sinclair lewiss main street, about the claustrophobia of smalltown life in america. Sinclair lewiss main street, published in 1920, tells the story of carol milford, a clever and ambitious young woman, who at college harbours dreams of a career as a town planner. Feb 22, 2018 this classic by sinclair lewis shattered the sentimental american myth of happy smalltown life with its satire. Lewis, still gauche in many ways, did not particularly put her at ease, and she was already uneasy about the expectations of her conduct, more so in the presence of the protocol man. The book satirizes the ugliness and conformity found in small midwest towns during the second decade of the twentieth century and ridicules the uninspired and selfsatisfied inhabitants. The books power derives from the careful rendering of local speech, customs, and social amenities. Main street by sinclair lewis goodreads share book. Free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by project gutenberg. Jun 24, 2006 s inclair lewis may be ripe for a revival.
The town is, in om tale, called gopher prairie, minn esota but us main street is the continuation of main streets everywhere. This free synopsis covers all the crucial plot points of main street. Born in 1885 in minnesota, sinclair lewis worked as a newspaper journalist before becoming an acclaimed novelist. Sinclair lewis has 173 books on goodreads with 187815 ratings. Like carol, sinclair lewis was no stranger to disappointment. Main street became a household word, both in the united states and abroad, within a few years after the publication of sinclair lewis widely read novel. Lewis, was a physician and a stern disciplinarian who had difficulty relating to his sensitive, unathletic third son. Born and raised in sauk centre, minnesota, lewis knew the american heartland as few other writers have.
Sinclair lewiss main street is a long meditation on this peculiarly american combination of freedom and rigidity. The story of main street is seen through the eyes of carol kennicott, a young woman married to a midwestern doctor who settles in the minnesota town of gopher prairie modeled on lewis hometown of sauk center. That this ford car might stand in front of the bon ton store, hannibal invaded rome and erasmus wrote in oxford cloisters. Highly acclaimed upon publication, main street remains a recognized american class. Carol milford is a young, liberated woman from saint paul, minnesota, who marries a smalltown doctor named will kennicott. Now you can read main street free from the comfort of your computer or mobile phone and enjoy other many other free books by sinclair lewis. The story would be the same in ohio or montana, in kansas or kentucky or illinois, and not very differently would it be told up york state or in the carolina hills, main street is the climax of civilization. In writing main street, sinclair lewis paid little attention to formal plot development. Main street by sinclair lewis, first edition abebooks. Book summary in writing main street, sinclair lewis paid little attention to formal plot development. It appears to me that sinclair lewis really hit his stride with main. Satirizing small town life,main streetis perhaps sinclair lewiss most famous book, and. Jan 21, 2006 free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by project gutenberg. Printed in th united states of america to james branch cab ell and joseph hergesheimer this is america a town of a few thousand, in a region of and corn and dairies and little groves.
No subtlety, weird and inconsistent accents, makes carol sound like a helpless sap, and pronounces the name bea, beeah. It relates the life and struggles of carol milford kennicott in the small town of gopher prairie, minnesota, as she comes into conflict with the smalltown mentality of its residents. Read a plot overview of the entire book or a chapter by chapter summary and. Satirizing small town life, main street is perhaps sinclair lewiss most famous book, and led in part to his eventual 1930 nobel prize for literature. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or. In a sturdy protective box which has been taped on the corners and the top and bottom sides.
I read main street years ago and thought it was time to reacquaint myself with the story. Satirizing small town life, main street is perhaps sinclair lewiss most famous. Lewis, i think main street is a very interesting book. Main street is the climax of civilization, sinclair lewis declared with a typical blend of seriousness and irony. This at least is the common understanding of lewis. Main street, novel by sinclair lewis, published in 1920. Lewis graduated from yale university 1907 and was for a time a reporter. The town, gopher prairie, is closely patterned on sauk centre, minnesota, which is where sinclair. Born february 7, 1885, in the village of sauk centre, minnesota, sinclair lewis began reading books at a young age and kept a diary. Free download or read online main street pdf epub book.
Harry sinclair lewis february 7, 1885 january 10, 1951 was an american novelist, shortstory writer and playwright. Sinclair lewis 18851951, was born in sauk centre, minnesota, and graduated from yale in 1907. We find a book about the odd, contradictory towns that evolved in america, trying to express freedom and fundamentalism at the same time. Read main street online by sinclair lewis at, the free online library full of thousands of classic books. The first of sinclair lewiss great successes, main street shattered the sentimental american myth of happy smalltown life with its satire of narrowminded provincialism. The novels heroine, carol milford, is a highly educated. Reflecting his own unhappy childhood in sauk centre, minnesota, lewiss sixth novel attacked the conformity and dullness he saw in midwestern village life. You are surely one of the most promising young writers in the united states. I liked each of them in the reverse order of publication.
The satire extends not just to the townfolk of gopher prairie, but to the city folk of washington too. Jan 09, 2016 as his biographer mark schorer wrote, the phenomenal success of main street was the most sensational event in twentiethcentury american publishing history. Read main street, free online version of the book by sinclair lewis, on. Its a big, sprawling book with no discernible plot, like a soap opera. In the 1920s, a large component of americas middle class sought a more liberal identity. In that context it does remind me of two of his earlier novels. This classic by sinclair lewis shattered the sentimental american myth of happy smalltown life with its satire. Consequently the narrative presents a series of episodes rather than a tightly constructed plot. Published in 1920, the novel follows carol milford as she moves to a conventional small town, where she encounters its conceited residents characterized by their ignorance, hypocrisy, and. In 1930 sinclair lewis became the first american to win the nobel prize for literature, and the 1920 publication of main street brought him his first serious critical recognition. The main characters of this classics, fiction story are.
The novels heroine, carol milford, is a highly educated, ambitious woman who plans to join a newly enlightened society. Published in 1920, the novel follows carol milford as she moves to a conventional small town, where she encounters its conceited residents. The first edition of the novel was published in 1920, and was written by sinclair lewis. If there is another feminist trilogy written by an american male from the early twentieth century, i cannot name it.
Main street 1920 is a story about carol milford, who is convinced by her new husband, dr. Sinclair lewis chose gopher prairie, minnesota, a fictionalized version of sauk centre, minnesota, lewiss hometown as the setting for main street. Pdf main street book by sinclair lewis free download. Main street is his most famous book, though certain critics prefer babbitt as a better. Jane smiley on sinclair lewiss main street books the guardian. Discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that delivers new books every 1, 2, or 3 months new customers receive 15% off your.
In main street and babbitt, sinclair lewis drew on his boyhood memories of sauk centre, minnesota, to reveal as no writer had done before the complacency and conformity of middle. They relocate to his hometown of gopher prairie, minnesota, where she is taken aback by the little towns backward ways and ugly appearance. Letters of sinclair lewis, 19191930 by sinclair lewis and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. The critic edmund wilson called sinclair lewis one of the national poets. He had two older siblings, fred born 1875 and claude born 1878. Find the quotes you need to support your essay, or refresh your memory of the book by reading. I liked the job, third, free air second, and main street first, by some margin. Main street by sinclair lewis by sinclair lewis nook book. Main street, originally published in 1920, is the story of a sophisticated young woman who moves to a small town in the american midwest in 1912 and struggles against the smallminded culture of the citizens who live there. The story of carol kennicott is a satiric attack on smalltown life.
The story of main street is filtered through the eyes of carol kennicott, a young woman married to a midwestern doctor who settles in the minnesota town of gopher prairie modeled on lewiss hometown of sauk centre. Will kennicott, to leave the city life to which she is accustomed. Carol meets and marries will kennicott, a doctor who convinces her to move back to his small hometown of gopher prairie, minnesota. However, she marries a doctor, who persuades her to settle with him in gopher prairie, minnesota. As his biographer mark schorer wrote, the phenomenal success of main street was the most sensational event in twentiethcentury american publishing history. See a complete list of the characters in main street and indepth analyses of carol kennicott and dr. Main street attacks the conformity and dullness of early 20th century midwestern village life in the story of carol milford, the city girl who marries the town doctor. Every book on your english syllabus summed up in a quote from the office. Sinclair lewiss barbed portrait of gopher prairie, minnesota, shattered the myth of. Main street is a satirical novel written by sinclair lewis, and published in 1920 satirizing small town life, main street is perhaps sinclair lewis s most famous book, and led in part to his eventual 1930 nobel prize for literature.
The satire is doubleedgeddirected against both the townspeople and the. Main street takes place in the 1910s, with references to the start of world war i, the united states entry into the war, and the years following the end of the war, including the start of prohibition. In the 1920s, lewis fired off a fusillade of sensational novels, exploding american. Buy a cheap copy of main street book by sinclair lewis. Main street, sinclair lewis main street is a satirical novel written by sinclair lewis, and published in 1920. In 1930, he became the first writer from the united states and the first from the americas to receive the nobel prize in literature, which was awarded for his vigorous and graphic art of description and his ability to create, with wit and humor, new types of characters. Choose the part of main street which you want to read from the table of contents to get started. Widely hailed as a milestone in american literature, sinclair lewis main street vividly describes a country on the verge of massive change, with traditional values being threatened by progress. At the center of main street is carol kennicott, the wife of a town doctor, who. On july 17, 1920, sinclair lewis delivered the finished manuscript of main street to alfred harcourt in the hope that it would sell 10,000 copies. Main street 1920 was his first critical and commercial success. What i like in books is a wholesome, really improving story, and sometimes why, once i started a novel by this fellow balzac that you read about, and it told how.
Well, thats what carol kennicott feels like in sinclair lewis main street, and this book is all about exploring the ways that people try to cope with unsatisfying lives. Satirizing small town life, main street is perhaps sinclair lewis s most famous book, and led in part to his eventual 1930 nobel prize for literature. Main street is a story about carol milford, who is convinced by her new husband, dr. Main street is the 1920 novel by sinclair lewis that tells the story of carol milford, a liberal, freespirited young woman from minneapolis, minnesota.
The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 454 pages and is available in paperback format. The town, gopher prairie, is closely patterned on sauk centre, minnesota, which is where sinclair lewis grew up, although the book makes clear that it. Jane smiley on sinclair lewiss main street books the. This title is out of stock and a reprint has not yet been scheduled. Satirizing small town life, main streetis perhaps sinclair lewis s most famous book, and led in part to his eventual 1930 nobel prize for literature. Main street is a satirical novel written by sinclair lewis, and published in 1920. It appears to me that sinclair lewis really hit his stride with main street. Known for their satirical take on modern affairs, his bestknown books include main street, arrowsmith, babbitt, and dodsworth. The project gutenberg ebook of main street, by sinclair lewis this ebook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. Your credit card will not be charged until the book is shipped. My uncredentialed opinion is that these three novels form a feminist trilogy from that time. Carol milford kennicott, a graduate of sanctimonious blodgett college, with a year of additional study in a chicago library school, works as a librarian in st.
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