Babbitt · Character

Howard Littlefield

Babbitt's pedantic neighbor, a walking encyclopedia of statistics who can explain any subject and understand none of the people around him.

supporting

Also known as Littlefield, Dr. Howard Littlefield

First appearance: chapter i

As a supporting figure in Babbitt, Howard Littlefield is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

The scholarly neighbor, a PhD and employment-manager, is admired by Babbitt for his intellect and conservative values.

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Dr. Howard Littlefield is the Floral Heights neighbor whose bottomless fund of facts makes him the neighborhood oracle and a fixture at the Babbitt dinner table. He is pompous, humorless, and utterly confident in the received wisdom of the age, and his daughter Eunice's teasing affection for Babbitt exposes the gap between Littlefield's windy expertise and any real warmth. He stands as the novel's portrait of respectable, well-informed mediocrity.

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See Howard Littlefield in chapter i

Character Web

25 connections

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Relationship types

Other

Character groups

Elite and Professional Acquaintances
Extended Social Orbit
Protagonist
Babbitt's Inner Circle

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Narrative arc

Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.

Setup
Escalation
Breaking point
Aftermath
Closing

This is the story's dramatic climax because Babbitt's vague, suppressed dread about Paul crystallizes into a s…

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In the story

Howard Littlefield appears across 20 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

Chapter III
The scholarly neighbor, a PhD and employment-manager, is admired by Babbitt for his intellect and conservative values.
I
Neighbor and scholar; a PhD in economics who works for the streetcar company and reinforces Babbitt's conservative views.
Chapter III
Part of the Roughnecks table at the Athletic Club.
IV
Babbitt wonders what Littlefield thinks about instructing Ted on moral matters.
Chapter VIII
A doctor of philosophy and guest, who provides publicity and economics for the Street Traction Company.
I
Neighbor who speaks three languages, invited as a guest.
II
Guest at the dinner party, a doctor of philosophy working for the Street Traction Company.
Chapter IX
Provides scholarly information about rubber's chemical formula and later lectures that the United States is a Moral Ideal, but Babbitt barely listens.
II
Lectures on the United States as a Moral Ideal during the party.
Chapter XIII
Provides Babbitt with statistics for his convention paper.
II
Provides Babbitt with statistics for his paper.
III
Invited as one of the 'human people'; his statistical talk bores Babbitt.
IV
At the Zenith Athletic Club, corrects the misnaming of Sir Gerald as 'Lord Doak.'
I
Howard Littlefield is Eunice's father, described as a 'wrought-iron fact-mill' and 'horse-faced priest of private ownership.' He reports Eunice's movie-star photo collection to Babbitt.
Chapter II
Arrives to supervise the party; is shocked by Ted and Eunice's dancing and forcibly removes Eunice, causing a rift with Babbitt.
IV
Neighbor who invites Babbitt to dinner, but Babbitt declines, preferring to avoid his tedious conversation.
Chapter I
Referenced by Babbitt as an example of a dull, stick-in-the-mud person.
Chapter II
His wife brings wine jelly to the hospital, representing the supportive community.
Chapter XXXIV
Calls Babbitt late at night concerned about Eunice; participates in the family confrontation over the marriage.
VI
Calls Babbitt late at night worried about Eunice, and later joins the family meeting as Eunice's father.

Chapter companion notes

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See Howard Littlefield in chapter i

See Howard Littlefield in Chapter III