Comments on: Literary Themes and Business

By: Claire Voegele

Claire Voegele — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 18:19:58 +0000

If I had to say the words that immediately come to mind when thinking of Babbitt, I would say “work, work, success!” Babbitt almost embodies the idea of the ideal citizen from the Victorian era where excellent work ethic was a priority. In many people’s opinions, a sign of full citizenship in a person was this hard work ethic. As Sinclair Lewis describes him, “with respect you beheld him put on the rest of his uniform as a Solid Citizen.” But all of Babbitt’s actions represent cultural values and trends that he thinks he SHOULD support. He doesn’t make any personal judgments but he is enamored with his way of life and job. Babbitt’s anthems for life would probably be as he says: to “[fight with] determination to win Success” and to make “earnest efficient endeavor[s]“.
In a brief reading about Gregor, I would deduce that his actions certainly embody the spirt of the ideal citizen. However, the main difference between Gregor and Babbitt is the Gregor wallows in the misery of his taxing job and Babbitt just cannot get enough. Gregor is miserable but Babbitt does not second guess himself or even contemplate complaining.

By: Joe Goodman

Joe Goodman — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 17:51:56 +0000

Gregor is a perfect example of Babbit’s ideal citizen. Gregor is certainly “busier than a bird-dog,” he wakes up early and arrives to work early, works hard and long all day, comes home to dinner and has some free time for a hobby (such as carving), finally “he goes happily to bed, his conscious clear.” Well actually, not so much the last part. The rigid structure of the ideal citizen seems to fit Gregor except for the small fact that he is utterly miserable. He hates traveling, hates his job, but he must conform to his miserable life because of an outside force (parent’s debt to his boss). This seems to be the case throughout the majority of the business world. You would think that the sole reason for an education would be to grasp a greater understanding of the world, right? No. In today’s society a college education has come to be nothing but a means to making as much money as possible. With this example, Gregor’s family debt, and Babbit’s quest to make Zenith the greatest city in the world, it seems as if money is the root to all happiness, and ironically the source of all misery.

By: Kayla Glasscock

Kayla Glasscock — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 02:54:37 +0000

Babbitt really wants to be the “Sane Citizen” he talks about in his speeches. Everything he does is to fit the image of a respectable man. His motive is less greed than just fitting in. Babbitt thinks that objects can identify you, the way that cars represent their owners and branded clothing stereotypes their wearers.
In “Metamorphosis,” Gregor becomes the animal embodiment of a mindless worker drone that has always existed and probably always will. Gregor (pre-cockroach, gross) would probably be an upstanding young man in Babbitt’s eyes.
I think both stories reflect how mindless business life can be (Babbitt’s habits in how he dresses and acts, Gregor’s dedication to getting to work early and lack of a social life).

By: Jan Gambardella

Jan Gambardella — Sun, 21 Oct 2007 22:27:13 +0000

I think that both of these works draw a communial parallel to the human race and the nature of business. In many senses, one considers what his career should be based on norms such as Babbit, yet the other mindset is just like Gregor’s, that a job is a job and it must be done. In today’s society, we are taught that we must go out, get an education, get jobs, and be successful. In Babbit’s situation, he takes societal norms a step further, and lets societal norms control his decisions in life and ends up doing a job he doesn’t truly enjoy. Gregor takes on the other extreme, where, if society is telling us we must be working men, he just goes out and works without even considering other factors to decide what he wants in a job and what he needs.

By: Emily Clayton

Emily Clayton — Sun, 21 Oct 2007 17:20:39 +0000

Neither Babbitt nor Gregor are truly human. In Babbitt it more subtle than in Metamorphasis where Gregor truly is a different species. Babbitt does not think for himself, all of his actions are determined by societal norms and what is expected of a man of his stature rather than what he truly needs or desires. Gregor, even in an altered and scary state, can only think of how to get on the next train for work. He is clearly in a position where he needs to take care of himself and be focused on other things besides work, but all he can think about is his manager and his job.