Elmer Gantry

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Likable and charismatic.  A lack of empathy.  An inflated sense of self-importance.  Deceit and misrepresentation to achieve goals at others’ expense.  Acting without considering consequences.

You may think these are the textbook characteristics of either today’s politicians or what was once called a “corporate sociopath.”  Nope, this is the essence of Elmer Gantry.

Sinclair Lewis’ spiritual protagonist is deliciously despicable as he follows his calling as an evangelist in 1920s mid-America.  We’re taken through one adventure after another as Gantry rises, then falls, then rises again.

Along the way, Lewis introduces a number of eccentric characters that support, oppose or simply tolerate Gantry.  All of them enrich the narrative to keep it lively and interesting.

With this novel, you may dislike the main character, but you can’t wait to see what he does next.  It’s funny at times, tragic occasionally, and almost always fascinating.  At times, the narrative might even hit close to home—such as the description of Gantry’s church experience as a youth. 

And the ending will make you chuckle.

If you haven’t already seen the 1960 movie starring Burt Lancaster, make sure you watch it after you’ve read the book.  Lancaster absolutely nails his depiction of Gantry.

Lewis’ writings, of course, were never friendly towards religious faith.  With Elmer Gantry, he skewers organizations and individuals associated with Christianity—focusing on corruption, manipulation and hypocrisy.  For whatever reason, he overlooks any positive aspects of religion.  Sadly, his negative representations are uncomfortably accurate to much of the religious fervor we see in today’s America. 

In the end, Elmer Gantry is another reminder of Lewis’ enduring power to hold up an uncomfortably honest mirror to American society.

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Quotes

He was born to be a senator.  He never said anything important, and he always said it sonorously.

People were tired of eloquence; and the whole evangelist business was limited, since even the most ardent were not likely to be saved more than three or four times.  But they could be healed constantly, and of the same disease.

He had not known that any literature published previous to the Saturday Evening Post could be thrilling.

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