Elmer Gantry

The novel explores the rise of a morally corrupt charlatan who abandons his legal ambitions to become a minister, reflecting on the hypocrisy within early 20th-century Christian fundamentalism. As Gantry, a young alcoholic and womanizer, ascends the ranks of the Methodist church, his actions starkly contrast with his preachings, leading to the downfall of those around him. Sinclair Lewis offers a sharp satire of revivalist movements and the individuals who exploit them, providing a compelling critique of American society during this period.