# Chum Frink — Babbitt character guide > Chum Frink in Babbitt by Sinclair Lewis. **Role:** supporting **Also known as:** Frink, T. Cholmondeley Frink, Mr. Frink **First appearance:** 0000-chapter-i ## Snapshot A grinning poet-adman of the Boosters' circle, T. Cholmondeley Frink turns greeting-card sentiment into copy and Zenith's boosterism into verse. ## Who they are Frink belongs to Babbitt's club-and-Booster world, one of the men whose approval Babbitt measures himself against at the Roughnecks' Table. He is a professional optimist, a versifier whose rhymes and advertising jingles give the city its self-satisfied music, and his easy fellowship with Babbitt reveals how thoroughly commerce and culture have merged in Zenith. His presence sharpens the novel's satire of a business civilization that mistakes slogans for art. ## Relationships ### [George F. Babbitt](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/babbitt_se/characters/george_f_babbitt) _friendship_ A poet and advertising man who is part of George's social circle, representing the blend of artistic pretension and commercialism in Zenith. ### [George F. Babbitt](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/babbitt_se/characters/george_f_babbitt) _friendship_ A poet and advertising man who is part of George's social circle, representing the blend of artistic pretension and commercialism in Zenith. ### [George F. Babbitt](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/babbitt_se/characters/george_f_babbitt) _friendship_ A poet and advertising man who is part of George's social circle, representing the blend of artistic pretension and commercialism in Zenith. ## In the story ### [Chapter III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/babbitt_se/chapters/iii) Part of the Roughnecks table at the Athletic Club. ### [Chapter VIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/babbitt_se/chapters/chapter-viii) A distinguished poet and guest at the dinner, known for his syndicated 'Poemulations' and advertising work. ### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/babbitt_se/chapters/i) Famous poet and advertising man, invited as a guest. ### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/babbitt_se/chapters/iii) Reveals his literary struggles with advertising, comparing his Zeeco Car ads to the Prince Albert Tobacco ads. ### [Chapter IX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/babbitt_se/chapters/chapter-ix) Leads the table-tipping and spiritualism session, calling on the spirit of Dante. Babbitt worries that Frink might be a genuine spiritualist, which would be almost as bad as being a socialist. ### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/babbitt_se/chapters/i) Leads the spiritualist séance, attempts to contact the spirit of Dante. ### [Chapter XIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/babbitt_se/chapters/chapter-xiii) Babbitt consults him for writing advice on his convention paper. ### [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/babbitt_se/chapters/ii) Sought by Babbitt for writing advice; appears hunted and evasive. ### [Chapter III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/babbitt_se/chapters/iii) Wrote the official City Song sung by the delegates. ### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/babbitt_se/chapters/iii) Quoted in Babbitt's speech for a poem about his lecture tours, exemplifying the booster spirit. ### [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/babbitt_se/chapters/ii) Joins Babbitt and Eathorne in Dr. Drew's office for the committee proposal. ### [Chapter XVII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/babbitt_se/chapters/chapter-xvii) Supports Babbitt's Sunday School proposals and suggests Kenneth Escott as a press agent. ### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/babbitt_se/chapters/i) Supports Babbitt's ideas and suggests Kenneth Escott as press agent. ### [Chapter XXI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/babbitt_se/chapters/chapter-xxi) Gives a speech advocating for a symphony orchestra as a means of cultural advertising for Zenith. ### [Chapter XXIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/babbitt_se/chapters/chapter-xxiii) Drunkenly confesses his regret over not becoming a serious poet, revealing his disillusionment with his commercial work. ### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/babbitt_se/chapters/i) Appears drunk and agitated in the fog, lamenting his lost potential as a poet and confessing that he writes 'tripe' instead of the great verse he could have produced. ### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/babbitt_se/chapters/i) Doane is described as resembling Chum Frink in appearance. ### [Chapter XXVII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/babbitt_se/chapters/chapter-xxvii) Frink expresses hope that Dr. Drew will condemn the strikers, and later looks at Babbitt doubtfully after Babbitt criticizes the sermon. ### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/babbitt_se/chapters/i) Sits beside Babbitt in church; expects the preacher to condemn the strikers, and glances doubtfully at Babbitt after his muttered criticism. ### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/babbitt_se/chapters/iii) Protests to Gunch about Babbitt's recent behavior, specifically his criticism of Dr. Drew's sermon. ### [Chapter XXVIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/babbitt_se/chapters/chapter-xxviii) Mentioned in Babbitt's story about the club debate over the strike. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/babbitt_se/characters/chum_frink - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/babbitt_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/babbitt_se/characters