Az Eszterházy Károly Tanárképző Főiskola Tudományos Közleményei. 2001. [Vol. 7.] Eger Journal of American Studies.(Acta Academiae Paedagogicae Agriensis : Nova series ; Tom. 27)
Studies - Zoltán Simon: The Image of Technology in Selected American Novels of the 1920's
civilization [...] developing in America" (75). Undoubtedly, technology is an omnipresent entity throughout Babbitt : not only is it an integral part of Lewis's descriptions of the everyday life of his middle-class character, but, ás will be shown, several of the governing metaphors of the novel are also technologically conceived. Unlike several of his contemporaries, however, who at best exhibited a highly ambivalent attitude toward technological civilization, Lewis had a sincere belief in, even an admiration for, progress, technology, and efficiency. Babbitt is the most straightforward presentation of his real concern about technological development, which was over the tension between "the high achievements of a technologically advanced civilization —as represented by the bold skyline of Zenith —and the soft-bellied underachievers who are the city's inhabitants" (Love 75-76). Babbitt takes pride in being a part of the progress and efficiency he sees embodied in Zenith without ever realizing that his own contribution to the development of the city is rather insignificant. His own peculiar relationship to technology may be seen as a microcosmic representation of the larger relationship between humanity and the heroic modern world of science and technology. Thanks to Lewis's almost photorealistically descriptive style whereby he frequently characterizes through objects, Babbitt is routinely seen as interacting with technology. No doubt, Babbitt is very comfortable with technology: he surrounds himself with the most up-to-date, scientifically designed and expensive gadgetry available on the market. His "nationally advertised and quantitatively produced" alarm-clock (7), his "very best of water-coolers, up-to-date, scientific, and right-thinking" (31), and his "priceless time-saver" of an electric cigar-lighter (46) are only a few examples of his obsession with keeping abreast with modern times. As the omniscient narrator reveals, however, Babbitt's worship of machinery does not originate from a true understanding of the same: He had enormous and poetic admiration, though very little understanding, of all meehanical devices. They were his symbols of truth and beauty. Regarding each new intricate mechanism —metal lathe, two-jet carburetor, machine gun, oxyacetylene welder —he 50
