Babbitt Women and Femininity Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Section.Paragraph)

Quote #7

Her knew her financial affairs and advised her about them, while she lamented her feminine ignorance, and praised his masterfulness, and proved to know much more about bonds than he did. (29.2.1)

Tanis is at it again. This time, she's trying to stroke Babbitt's ego by asking him for financial advice and pretending to be totally helpless when it comes to dealing with her money. Eventually, though, she can no longer hide the fact that she actually knows way more than him about certain things like government bonds.

Quote #8

"Sick, rats! I'm not a baby! I guess I ain't going to get sick just because maybe once a week I shoot a highball! That's the trouble with women. They always exaggerate so." (30.3.9)

When Myra presses him about how much he's been drinking, George reacts harshly and tells her that he's a manly man and he can take care of himself. Then he does his usual trick of supporting his point of view by making up a general statement about women. The funny thing is that it's Babbitt who's the biggest exaggerator in the book. As a salesman, the guy practically exaggerates for a living.

Quote #9

"Doggone it, why can't she let me alone? Why can't women ever learn a fellow hates to be bulldozed? And they always take advantage of you by telling how lonely they are." (31.1.12)

Eventually, Babbitt gets fed up with his affair with Tanis. But breaking things off isn't as easy as he'd hoped it would be. Tanis constantly messages him and asks him to come back to her. Again, George deals with his frustration by thinking about the general "trouble with women" and basically lets himself off the hook for being a man who cheats on his wife.