The Prodigal Parents

Name: The Prodigal Parents
Author: Sinclair Lewis

The Prodigal Parents is a novel by Sinclair Lewis, first published in 1925. It tells the story of a young couple, John and Mary, who are struggling to make ends meet in a small Midwestern town. They have two children, a son and a daughter, and are trying to provide them with a good life. John and Mary are both from wealthy families, but they have chosen to live a simpler life. They are content with their lot, but their parents are not. John's father, a successful businessman, is determined to bring his son back into the fold and make him a success. He offers John a job in his company, but John refuses, preferring to stay in the small town and make his own way. Meanwhile, Mary's parents are equally determined to bring her back into their world. They offer her a job in their department store, but Mary also refuses, preferring to stay with her family. The novel follows the struggles of John and Mary as they try to make a life for themselves and their children, while their parents try to pull them back into their world. In the end, John and Mary must decide whether to stay in the small town and make their own way, or to return to their parents and accept their help.

By Sinclair Lewis · First published 1938 · Genre: Drama, Family Saga, Realistic Fiction · 40 chapters · 68,925 words

First lines

In the darkness of the country road after midnight the car was speeding, but the three young men jammed together in the one seat did not worry. They were exhilarated by the violence of the speeches they had heard at the strikers' mass meeting in the factory town of Cathay. When the car skidded slightly on a turn and the left-hand wheels crunched on the gravelled shoulder, the driver yelped, 'Hey, whoa-up!' But she did not whoa-up.

What this Textopian page supports

The Prodigal Parents is listed on Textopian as a novel by Sinclair Lewis, dated 1938 CE.

This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.

Work type: Novel
Author: Sinclair Lewis
Date: 1938 CE
Language: English
Genres: Drama, Family Saga, Realistic Fiction, Satire
Length: 68,925 words
Structure: 40 chapters, 2,727 paragraphs
Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)

Good citation fit

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Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Discussion starters

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Similar titles

Genres

Drama — The Prodigal Parents is a story of family dynamics and the struggles of a father and son to reconcile their differences, making it a classic drama.
Family Saga — The Prodigal Parents follows the story of a family over a period of time, making it a family saga.
Realistic Fiction — The Prodigal Parents is a realistic story of family dynamics and the struggles of a father and son to reconcile their differences, making it a realistic fiction.
Satire — Sinclair Lewis is known for his satirical writing style, making The Prodigal Parents a satire.