It Can’t Happen Here

It Can’t Happen Here

by

Sinclair Lewis

Upton Sinclair was a real-life writer and activist who became famous for depicting poverty and exposing corruption in the early 20th century U.S. He ran for Governor of California on an anti-poverty platform in 1934. Based on these campaign promises, Sinclair Lewis portrays him as a Buzz Windrip supporter in It Can’t Happen Here. After the election, Windrip appoints Upton Sinclair as ambassador to the U.K.
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Upton Sinclair Character Timeline in It Can’t Happen Here

The timeline below shows where the character Upton Sinclair appears in It Can’t Happen Here. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 10
American Fascism Theme Icon
Morality and Resistance Theme Icon
...lawyers, pious prohibitionists, and anti-bank millionaires, all looking for political favors. Many foolish intellectuals, like Upton Sinclair , even think that Windrip will save the U.S. economy from the Depression. Major newspapers... (full context)
Chapter 15
American Fascism Theme Icon
Liberalism and Tolerance Theme Icon
Windrip appoints his “embarrassing friends and enemies” to faraway ambassadorships: he sends the writer Upton Sinclair to Britain, the businessman Milo Reno to France, and the nationalistic Mississippi Senator Bilbo to... (full context)