What inspired Sinclair Lewis to write It Can't Happen Here?

Sinclair Lewis wrote this novel in response to the rise of fascism in Europe and the growing populist movements in the United States during the 1930s, reflecting his concerns about the fragility of American democracy.

Are there any notable adaptations of It Can't Happen Here?

The novel was adapted into a stage play by Lewis and John C. Moffitt, which premiered in 1936 and was performed across the United States as part of the Federal Theatre Project.

It Can't Happen Here

Classics Dystopian

Pages: 374
Published: 1935
Language: English

Synopsis

In 1935, Sinclair Lewis warned of a chilling possibility: what if America elected a charismatic strongman who promised prosperity but delivered dictatorship? This novel follows Doremus Jessup, a small-town journalist, as he witnesses his country fall under the sway of President Buzz Windrip. Jessup must navigate a nation where freedom is suppressed and dissent is met with brutal force, forcing him to confront the encroaching fascism.

1 review

How it reads

Dark Tense Thought-Provoking Reflective

Reluctant Hero Betrayal

Prose complexity 7/10

Content warnings (2)

ViolenceTrauma

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It Can't Happen Here

Synopsis

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It Can't Happen Here

Synopsis

How it reads

Genres, subjects and placesClassics, Dystopian, Literary Fiction +31

Genres

Subjects

Places

CharactersDoremus Jessup, Berzelius "Buzz" Windrip, Buzz Windrip

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About the authorSinclair Lewis

Frequently asked questionsWhat inspired Sinclair Lewis to write It Can't Happen Here? +1