Babbitt
by Sinclair Lewis
Babbitt is a novel by Sinclair Lewis. Largely a satire of American culture, society, and behavior, it critiques the vacuity of middle-class American life and its pressure on individuals toward conformity.
Satire
Satire is generally written with humor in mind, but carries undertones of political or social critique.
Books
A Connecticut Yankee In King Arthur’s Court
by Mark Twain
A Connecticut Yankee In King Arthur’s Court is a satirical novel that depicts a contemporary American, Hank Morgan, who is transported to medieval England. In the court of the legendary King Arthur, Morgan uses his modern knowledge to face the trials and tribulations of the middle ages.
Gulliver's Travels
by Jonathan Swift
Gulliver’s Travels (1726, amended 1735), officially Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World, is a novel by Jonathan Swift that is both a satire on human nature and a parody of the “travellers’ tales” literary sub-genre. It is widely considered Swift’s magnum opus (masterpiece) and is his most celebrated work, as well as one of the indisputable classics of English literature.
The book became tremendously popular as soon as it was published (Alexander Pope stated that “it is universally read, from the cabinet council to the nursery”), and it is likely that it has never been out of print since then. George Orwell declared it to be among the six most indispensable books in world literature. It is claimed the inspiration for Gulliver came from the sleeping giant profile of the Cavehill in Belfast.
Main Street
by Sinclair Lewis
Main Street is a satirical novel about small-town life, and is notable for the presence of a strong female protagonist.
Northanger Abbey
by Jane Austen
Northanger Abbey follows Catherine Morland and family friends Mr. and Mrs. Allen as they visit Bath, England. Seventeen year-old Catherine spends her time visiting newly made friends, like Isabella Thorpe, and going to balls. Catherine finds herself pursued by Isabella’s brother John Thorpe and by Henry Tilney. She also becomes friends with Eleanor Tilney, Henry’s younger sister. Mr. Henry Tilney captivates her with his view on novels and knowledge of history and the world. The Tilneys invite Catherine to visit their father’s estate, Northanger Abbey, which, because she has been reading Ann Radcliffe’s gothic novel The Mysteries of Udolpho, Catherine expects to be dark, ancient and full of fantastical mystery.
Northanger Abbey is considered a parody of a gothic novel.
Vanity Fair
by William Makepeace Thackeray
Vanity Fair is a 19th century social satire by William Makepeace Thackeray. The novel follows the adventures and dealings of Becky Sharp and Amelia Sedley.