Main StreetThe first of Sinclair Lewis’s great successes, Main Street shattered the sentimental American myth of happy small-town life with its satire of narrow-minded provincialism. Reflecting his own unhappy childhood in Sauk Centre, Minnesota, Lewis’s sixth novel attacked the conformity and dullness he saw in midwestern village life. Young college graduate Carol Milford moves from the city to tiny Gopher Prairie after marrying the local doctor, and tries to bring culture to the small town. But her efforts to reform the prairie village are met by a wall of gossip, greed, conventionality, pitifully unambitious cultural endeavors, and—worst of all—the pettiness and bigotry of small-town minds. Lewis’s portrayal of a marriage torn by disillusionment and a woman forced into compromises is at once devastating social satire and persuasive realism. His subtle characterizations and intimate details of small-town America make Main Street a complex and compelling work and established Lewis as an important figure in twentieth-century American literature. |
Contents
CHAPTER 3 | |
CHAPTER 4 | |
CHAPTER 5 | |
CHAPTER 6 | |
CHAPTER 7 | |
CHAPTER 21 | |
CHAPTER 22 | |
CHAPTER 23 | |
CHAPTER 24 | |
CHAPTER 25 | |
CHAPTER 26 | |
CHAPTER 27 | |
CHAPTER 28 | |
CHAPTER 8 | |
CHAPTER 9 | |
CHAPTER 10 | |
CHAPTER 11 | |
CHAPTER 12 | |
CHAPTER 13 | |
CHAPTER 14 | |
CHAPTER 15 | |
CHAPTER 16 | |
CHAPTER 17 | |
CHAPTER 18 | |
CHAPTER 19 | |
CHAPTER 20 | |
CHAPTER 29 | |
CHAPTER 30 | |
CHAPTER 31 | |
CHAPTER 32 | |
CHAPTER 33 | |
CHAPTER 34 | |
CHAPTER 35 | |
CHAPTER 36 | |
CHAPTER 37 | |
CHAPTER 38 | |
CHAPTER 39 | |
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Common terms and phrases
asked baby believe better Bogart Carol Carrie chair church Clark coming course dance Dave dear doctor don’t door Dyer Erik everything eyes face farmers feel fellow felt folks friends gave girl give Gopher Prairie guess hand Harry Haydock head heard hope Hugh husband interest it’s keep Kennicott kind knew lake laughed light live looked Main Street matter mean Miles never nice night once person picture play pretty remembered seemed smiled stand stopped story suppose sure talk tell there’s things thought told took town tried trying turned Vida village waiting walk week Westlake wife window woman women wonder young