"In the winter of 1920, the small Minnesota town of Sauk Centre suddenly found itself the focal point of national attention. It was the publication of a novel, Main Street, by Sinclair Lewis that turned the nation's eyes toward this central Minnesota community. The local people basked happily in the limelight for a short time. But their feelings soon turned toward anger when the contents of the novel were fully known. Main Street was a biting satire that caricatured the townspeople and their institutions. And the public furry was directed to the local man who had written the book," Glenn Colerider narrates at the beginning of WBGU-PBS� Sinclair Lewis: The Man From Main Street.
This is the story behind one of America's most controversial authors who - along
with Edgar Lee Masters, Sherwood Anderson and Hamlin Garland - debunked the romantic illusions of small town life during the 20th century. In 1985, WBGU-PBS explored Sinclair Lewis' life story by visiting his hometown and creating an
educational docudrama about him. Produced and directed by Denise (Marland) Kisabeth, Sinclair Lewis: The Man From Main Street was a 1986 OEBIE Award Nominee for Program of the Year.
Written by Ohio biographer Gene Dent, Professor Emeritus of Lakeland College, the production was funded, in part, by a grant from the Ohio Humanities Council. Sinclair Lewis: The Man From Main Street allows viewers to examine and understand the historical significance of the author's life and his literary works.
Growing up during the pioneer age, Harry Sinclair Lewis was a gawky, sensitive
boy who did not excel in school and was nicknamed "Red" by fellow classmates.
During his time in Sauk Center, Lewis observed the transformation of the town and its subtle division between citizens. Possessing an active imagination and a critical eye, Lewis took note of the two behavioral standards and rivalry existing between the "city folk" and farmers, in the small town way-of-life. Expanding upon these observations Main Street, Lewis' 5th book, reflected the middle class values of self-centeredness, bigotry and hypocrisy.
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