Elmer Gantry (Signet Classics)
by Sinclair Lewis
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Book Summary Information
Author: Sinclair LewisIntroduction: Jason Stevens
Edition: Mass Market Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2007-12-04
ISBN: 9780451530752
Number of pages: 496
Publisher: Signet Classics
Book Reviews of Elmer Gantry (Signet Classics)
Book Review: Satirical Masterpiece
Summary: 5 Stars
Elmer Gantry is the last of what have come to be Sinclair Lewis' four classic novels and is on par with the prior three: Main Street, Babbitt, and Arrowsmith. Fans of those will certainly like it, and it is a great place for neophytes to start.
Lewis uses his signature documentary-style to bring alive yet another slice of Americana - Protestant fundamentalism, which was enjoying one of its periodic revivals as he was writing shortly before the Great Depression. Lewis did a vast amount of field research, and it shows; he brings a fictional world alive as only he can by focusing on just the right details and drawing them vividly. So well-executed was his technique, and so great his popularity, that many early readers said Lewis' fictional America was at least as real to them as most of the actual country outside their area. This is still true to a great degree; his portrayal is so painstakingly detailed that the descriptive sections often seem more like a history lesson than a novel. Such a statement is apt to scare many but is true in the best possible way; the book is never even remotely close to boring. It indeed pulls us in almost immediately, and our interest stays at an apex throughout most of the book; this was 1927's bestselling novel, and it is easy to see why. Lewis is the rare author who can write long expositions but make them fit the story, seeming to arise naturally rather than overwhelming it. Thus, though supremely entertaining, Elmer is an invaluable historical document for anyone interested in fundamentalism or the era.
However, most will still be drawn to what first made the book a sensation - its stunningly realistic and unrelentingly satiric fundamentalism expose. Lewis was the greatest American satirist since Mark Twain, and this may well be his most biting portrayal, which truly says much. He shows the hypocrisy, lies, and deceit at fundamentalism's heart, condemning it as a mass of self-indulgence. So hollow does he show it to be that it is incredible anyone ever followed it, and he certainly gives more than enough reasons for the curious to stay distant. He does so to a large extent by using traditional satirical methods to reduce religion to ridicule in the best tradition of Voltaire, Twain, and others. Like them, he makes us laugh almost in self-defense; the book indeed has many laughs, though the material could just as easily anger or sadden if presented differently, which is great satire's mark. However, he also criticizes religion on intellectual, philosophical, ethical, and historical grounds in ways that run somewhat deeper; this is again influenced by classic satirists but also takes into account philosophers' and scientists' non-literary work. Added to all this is his own absolute realism, which creates a portrait of his target so lifelike that it is a walking self-parody - so ridiculous that further attacks would be not only superfluous but near-cruel.
The novel predictably caused a firestorm of controversy; it was denounced in pulpits across the country and by traveling evangelists - doubtless because many recognized its truth and some suspected (or knew) they were direct inspiration - as well as numerous self-righteous ordinary people. Denounced as Satanic, immoral, and maliciously false, Lewis was threatened with jail and even death. All this of course only proved his point - and greatly increased sales. He was after all armed with a mass of facts, and anyone who thought the story hyperbolic had only to compare Jesus' message with reactions. This aspect is significantly less striking in today's far more secular era, though fundamentalism's continued existence ensures that the book can still strike a nerve; it remains unpopular with evangelicals and a favorite of religious opponents. However, it will remain relevant even if fundamentalism - nay, Christianity, or even religion altogether - is finally obliterated as a warning against human folly, gullibility, ignorance, and pure stupidity. Even aside from the religious angle, it is valuable as an unsparing document of hypocrisy and hedonism; human nature shows no sign of lessening in these regards, and the elemental critique of these unenviable and often fatal qualities transcends its immediate subject and will probably always be needed.
It is especially worthwhile in this regard because, unlike many satirists, Lewis takes care to not be overly didactic; the story may be an excuse for satire, but one would never know from reading. He makes sure to remain entertaining, which gains a larger audience and proves his points far more effectively. This is not to say he always succeeds; occasionally, as in Chapter XXVIII especially, he seems to forget he is writing a novel and lapses into the very sort of preaching he announces - though of course from the other side. Some will justify or at least extenuate this on the grounds that Christianity has had a near-unbroken monopoly on preaching in the Western world for a millennium and that the non-religious can surely be allowed a rant here and there. However, this is supposed to be a novel, and lack of dramatization is a conventional literary fault, however much one agrees with what is said. Such moments, though, are remarkably rare, which make the reading quick and engrossing.
Characterization is also a large part of what makes the book so readable and memorable. This was always one of Lewis' strong suits for the same reason that his settings seem so lifelike but is particularly notable here in that the characters are so interesting even though there is hardly a conventionally likable one. A few may arouse pity, but most bring contempt and scorn. The chief example is of course the title character, who may be Lewis' greatest creation - or would be if he were not so similar to several actual people. One of literature's most thoroughly loathsome personages, Gantry is despicable in almost every conceivable way: ignorant yet vain, hapless yet lucky, hypocritical yet self-righteous, repressive yet hedonistic - in short, the extreme example of what realists find so distasteful about fundamentalist preachers. Disgusting as he is, we cannot help being fascinated, if only to find what accomplishment he will stumble on next or whose life he will now ruin without conscience for his own gain. The novel focuses mostly on him, and the narration is often filtered through his perspective, giving tremendous insight into the mind of an American con man. It is thus sort of a reverse bildungsroman; Gantry makes a stunning rise from rural obscurity to national fame without really learning anything or changing fundamentally. That he does so without being exposed - nay, that he does so at all with nothing but good looks, a loud voice, and bold confidence - is a further testament to human naiveté, ignorance, and stupidity.
Many other characters are also strong, especially traveling female evangelist Sharon Falconer, who almost steals the proverbial show. She may be Lewis' most complex character and is surely his most fascinating; her depiction is significantly more nuanced than Gantry's, and we are far from sure if we can dismiss her as a charlatan like him, somewhat extenuate her as insane, or begrudgingly exalt her as an eccentric genius. Lewis himself perhaps did not know, but her inclusion is notable for showing that his fundamentalist dramatization is much less one-sided than is often claimed. Other characters mostly range from bad to worse to sickeningly evil, showing various aspects of humanity's rather large dark side. No one is championed, but a few ambivalent portraits add variety and show that Lewis held out a little hope for humanity if narrow-mindedness and mental slavery can ever be overcome.
Subject matter aside, Lewis' style is not for everyone; he has indeed been taken to task since his death so fully and often that his status has dropped significantly. In the 1920s he was at American literature's forefront, and he retained living legend status until his 1951 death though his popularity had long sagged. Now he is read seemingly ever less often, and his reputation as a major writer seems in danger of disappearing, though his four classics still have relative popularity and some critics and writers continue to champion his artistry. This is due almost entirely to realism dropping out of vogue. Those who champion more recent genres will have little patience for his episodic plots, arbitrary endings, linear narratives, traditional narration, and near absence of tropes. His writing in a way seems dated and not just because it focuses so specifically on a distinct era. It is easy for even his biggest admirers to see his work as period pieces, but this sells him rather short. Lewis is a master satirist, an insightful social critic, a keen observer of manners, and a historical writer in the best sense; his realism is almost unparalleled, and his characterization is superb. Anyone who values such things can only admire him, and Elmer is an exemplary work. Whatever our view of its subject or style, it is a consummate work of its kind and great enough to transcend any ostensible limitations. It is a true American classic and, though thankfully less sociopolitically relevant than when new, is destined to remain a much-needed dash of cold water as long as people continue to fall for outwardly appealing but inwardly empty shysters like Gantry and all he represents.
Summary of Elmer Gantry (Signet Classics)
Possibly the best student of hypocrisy since VoltaireThis portrait of a golden-tongued evangelist-who lives a life of hypocrisy, sensuality, and self-indulgence-is also the chronicle of a reign of vulgarity, which but for Lewis would have left no record of itself.
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