Overbrooks couples. Spending time with a couple seems to be how your rank is determined in Zenith. If you spend time with a superior class than your rank improves, but if you spend time with an inferior class than your rank falls. George strives to be accepted by the McKelveys, but completely ignores his long time companions the Overbrooks. This is identical of what we see today. Many people exhibit self-pleasure, but do not have any time for what is true. Finding what is true is Georges problem throughout the novel, and he is blinded by society in finding it. What is true is that it is better to give than to receive. People as a whole want to have the best of everything, and whatever they do have never is good enough. Lewis describes this theme brilliantly throughout the novel. Even church is used as a tool for social acceptance. Another example would be the strikes. Babbitt in a way is mad that the strikes are affecting his business, even though people are being mistreated. Society as a whole is only seeking self-pleasure, but the hand of social order is telling them this is ok. That is why liberal views in Zenith are so quickly extinguished. The superior class wants people to think that there always must be a lower class because that is the way God has planned it, which in retrospect sustains their rank as the higher class forever. Its ironic that this idea is still relevant today.In conclusion, Babbitts revolt toward society had actually changed nothing. He went back to not loving his wife and continuing his job as a realtor. His popularity recovers from his era of revolt. Babbitt regains his place in the world by allowing society to influence his life. He stops fighting and this is the simple reason why his life is a tragedy. How does Babbitt analyze the successfulness of his life? He never took complete control and experienced freedom in any of his actions. He only valued the acceptance of others, rather than what was true to his ...
