... evident that Sinclair Lewis, in his satirical voice, actually viewed the work of Thoreau with the utmost respect. Lewis's character of George Babbitt and Henry David Thoreau actually represent opposite extremes of an individual living in American society. Babbitt, in the pre-Depression 1920s, is conformity in every aspect ... cons. Both ways do not work out as planned, but they answer the problems in an unexpected way. In Sinclair Lewis's Babbitt and in Henry David Thoreau's Walden, independence plays a key role in the main characters' lives. In Sinclair Lewis's Babbitt, Babbitt takes va...

• Word Count: 3576
• Approx Pages: 14
• Grade Level: High School