# Kenneth Escott — Babbitt character guide

> Kenneth Escott in Babbitt by Sinclair Lewis.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Escott, Ken, Ken Escott

**First appearance:** 0000-chapter-i

## Snapshot

A slow, high-browed young reporter courting Verona Babbitt, forever discussing ideas when the family wishes he would simply propose.

## Who they are

Ken Escott is the young journalist who has attached himself to Verona, and to Ted and Babbitt he is a puzzle: a nice enough lad who smokes too much and cannot seem to get to the point. He belongs to the earnest, bookish younger generation that the Babbitt men regard with affectionate exasperation, and his courtship of Verona becomes a running family joke about pep, speed, and responsibility. He matters as a measure of the generational distance inside the Babbitt household.

## Relationships

### [George F. Babbitt](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/babbitt_se/characters/george_f_babbitt)

_family_

Verona's fiancé, a young journalist with liberal views whom George initially distrusts but eventually accepts as a son-in-law.

### [George F. Babbitt](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/babbitt_se/characters/george_f_babbitt)

_family_

Verona's fiancé, a young journalist with liberal views whom George initially distrusts but eventually accepts as a son-in-law.

### [George F. Babbitt](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/babbitt_se/characters/george_f_babbitt)

_family_

Verona's fiancé, a young journalist with liberal views whom George initially distrusts but eventually accepts as a son-in-law.

## In the story

### [Chapter XVII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/babbitt_se/chapters/chapter-xvii)

A shy, lonely reporter who becomes a friend to the Babbitts and a radical influence on Verona; he is hired as part-time press agent for the Sunday School.

### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/babbitt_se/chapters/i)

Mentioned as a potential part-time press agent for the Sunday School.

### [Chapter III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/babbitt_se/chapters/iii)

Appointed press-agent for the Sunday School; shy and lonely, he bonds with Verona over shared 'radical' ideas and enjoys dinner at the Babbitt home.

### [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/babbitt_se/chapters/iv)

Grins at Babbitt's suggestion, criticizes Dr. Drew's self-promotion, but agrees to run the article.

### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/babbitt_se/chapters/i)

Kenneth Escott is interested in Verona, and his hesitant ardors make Babbitt hopeful and playful about a potential romance.

### [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/babbitt_se/chapters/iv)

Courts Verona with a cautious, radical intellectualism, attending lectures and discussing statistics.

### [V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/babbitt_se/chapters/v)

Participates in lengthy philosophical talks with Verona.

### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/babbitt_se/chapters/iii)

Discussed by Babbitt and Ted as a slow suitor for Verona.

### [Chapter XXVI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/babbitt_se/chapters/chapter-xxvi)

After a pure-food crusade, he lands a job at a commission-house and is now engaged to Verona.

### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/babbitt_se/chapters/iii)

After a pure-food crusade, he lands a job at a commission-house and is now able to marry Verona.

### [Chapter II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/babbitt_se/chapters/ii)

Now engaged to Verona Babbitt, he is present at the Babbitt family Christmas gathering.

### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/babbitt_se/chapters/iii)

Marries Verona and leaves with her after the wedding.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/babbitt_se/characters/kenneth_escott
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/babbitt_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/babbitt_se/characters