Summary

George F. Babbitt is 46 yr old successful middle-class real estate salesman living in Midwestern city Zenith. He has a wife, Myra, and 3 kids, Verona, Ted, and Tinka; however, he is has a sense of emptiness in his life and is constantly irritated by his family. He often has fantasies of a young fairy girl with whom he is happy. In an attempt to relieve some stress, Babbitt plans a trip to Maine with his friend, Paul Riesling. The trip is refreshing but he is dissatisfied again when he returns to Zenith. When he returns, he becomes increasingly rebellious, even going as far as partaking in an affair with an attractive widow, Tanis Judique. Meanwhile, Paul goes to jail for shooting his wife. Babbitt's sorrow increases his desire to break the social norm. His disappoints his conservative friends at the Boosters' club by supporting liberal politics and labor union strikes and refusing Vergil Gunch's invitation to join the Good Citizens' League. As a result of his political views, his business begins to fail and he is ignored by his friends. At the same time, his relationship with Tanis begins to fade when she becomes "emotionally demanding". When Myra falls ill with appendicitis, Babbitt gets the motivation and excuse to repent for his immoral behavior and join the Good Citizens' League. However, Babbitt's period of rebellion does alter his perspective on life. When Ted elopes with Eunice Littlefield, explaining that he doesn't want to complete his college degree, Babbitt urges him to pursue his ideals without fearing what others will think of him.