# Ambition and the Pursuit of Power in Elmer Gantry

> Theme guide for Elmer Gantry by Sinclair Lewis.

Elmer's relentless drive for status, wealth, and influence drives the plot, as he climbs from a small-town drunk to a nationally recognized religious leader, often at the expense of integrity.

## Where it surfaces

- [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/ii): Elmer dreams of using his voice to hold and shake an audience, and plans to become a lawyer by charming juries rather than studying.
- [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/iii): Elmer's relentless drive for class presidency, achieved through threats and intimidation, exemplifies his pursuit of power and dominance over others.
- [Chapter IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/chapter-iv): Elmer is drawn to the ministry by the prospect of fame, influence, and oratorical control over audiences, seeing it as a path to dominance.
- [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/i): Elmer is drawn to the ministry for its social position, applause, and potential for wealth, viewing it as a career of influence.
- [Chapter V: Ordination](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/chapter-v): Elmer's ambition is clear as he prepares for a lucrative career, envisioning himself as a 'ten-thousand-dollar seer' and mastering the art of persuasive speech.
- [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/i): Elmer sees the appointment as a chance to prove himself and gain influence, contrasting his worldly ambition with the dean's spiritual rhetoric.
- [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/ii): Elmer relishes his power over the audience, feels expansive, and sees his ministry as a path to influence and success.
- [Chapter X](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/chapter-x): Elmer eagerly accepts the opportunity to preach in Monarch, seeing it as a stepping stone to a larger church and greater influence, reflecting his ambition.
- [Chapter XI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/chapter-xi): Elmer's desire to return to preaching and his determination to win Sharon Falconer reflect his ambition for power and influence.
- [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/i): Elmer's immediate plan to possess Sharon and take over her organization reflects his relentless ambition and desire for power.
- [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/iv): Aylston's relentless pursuit of position and influence, both in and out of religious circles.
- [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/i): Elmer's desire to join Sharon's team and his career ambitions in business and ministry reflect his pursuit of power.
- [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/ii): Elmer dreams of building something big and putting over a business, but his ambition is subsumed by his desire for Sharon.
- [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/iii): Both Elmer and Sharon are driven by ambition: she seeks to create a 'great captain of souls,' while he desires to rise from his humble origins.
- [Chapter XIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/chapter-xiii): Elmer and Sharon expand into larger cities; Elmer takes control of management and sermon content, seeking greater influence.
- [Chapter XIV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/chapter-xiv): Elmer's ambition to marry Sharon, supersede her as leader, and become a great evangelist drives his actions.
- [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/ii): Elmer's resentment over salary and his admiration for money reflect his ambition and desire for greater power and status within the evangelistic enterprise.
- [VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/vi): Elmer envisions marrying Sharon and superseding her as leader, driven by a desire for fame and control over the revival movement.
- [Chapter XV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/chapter-xv): Sharon's ambition to build a permanent ministry and her vision of becoming a female messiah reflect her drive for power and influence.
- [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/i): Sharon dreams of becoming a major religious figure like Mary Baker Eddy, and Elmer pushes for higher salary and control.
- [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/ii): Sharon confesses her ambition to 'want the world,' while Elmer schemes to take control of her operation, revealing the central conflict over leadership and dominance.
- [Chapter XVI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/chapter-xvi): Elmer's drive for success and power leads him to abandon integrity, yet his ambition is thwarted by his own incompetence and the emptiness of his schemes.
- [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/iii): Elmer's drive for wealth and status is evident in his grandiose claims and his determination to return to the seminary.
- [Chapter XVIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/chapter-xviii): Elmer sees joining the Methodists as a path to rapid advancement, envisioning himself as a bishop within ten years.
- [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/i): Elmer sees joining the Methodist Church as a strategic move to climb the ecclesiastical ladder, aiming for a bishopric within ten years.
- [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/iv): Both Elmer and Bishop Toomis reveal their ambitions: Elmer seeks advancement through the Methodist Church, while Toomis longs for literary fame and sees Elmer as a potential asset.
- [V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/v): Elmer's reluctance to accept a small pastorate and his desire for a larger church highlight his ambition for status and influence, even as he rationalizes his decision as a professional calling.
- [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/ii): Elmer's pride of ownership and dreams of becoming a bishop reflect his ambition and desire for power through the church.
- [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/iii): Elmer views Cleo as a stepping stone to a bishopric, calculating her worth based on her virtue and her father's wealth, showing his ambition for ecclesiastical power.
- [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/iv): Elmer strategically presents himself as a high-class preacher to win the Benhams' favor, viewing Cleo as an empire worth battling for.
- [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/ii): Elmer relishes his role as leader, seeing the congregation as his regiment and himself as the colonel.
- [Chapter VIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/viii): Elmer's strategic networking and study plans reveal his ambition to rise in the religious hierarchy.
- [Chapter XXI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/chapter-xxi): Elmer strategically courts Cleo for social standing, networks at Conference to gain favor with Bishop Toomis, and seeks a larger church.
- [Chapter VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/vi): Elmer's primary drive is to climb the ecclesiastical ladder, seeking a larger church and greater influence, while his personal life and spiritual duties become secondary.
- [IX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/ix): Elmer's rapid rise and the bishop's favoritism illustrate the pursuit of power and status within the church hierarchy.
- [XI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/xi): Elmer's reaction to his appointment reveals his ambition for greatness and eventual bishopric.
- [Chapter XXII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/chapter-xxii): Elmer's ambition drives him to accept the Wellspring pastorate, seeing it as a step toward a bishopric or college presidency.
- [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/i): Elmer's career progression from Rudd Center to Vulcan to Sparta demonstrates his climbing in Christian influence and social standing.
- [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/iii): Elmer's campaign involvement is driven by a desire for fame and influence, not genuine conviction.
- [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/iv): Elmer's eagerness to accept a church in Zenith, even at a lower salary, reveals his overriding ambition for status and influence.
- [Chapter XXIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/chapter-xxiii): Elmer openly schemes to become the leading preacher in Zenith, eyeing Chicago, New York, and a bishopric, driven by personal ambition.
- [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/i): Elmer views the church as a 'plant' to be managed and expanded, focusing on modernization and personal success rather than spiritual service.
- [VII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/vii): Elmer strategically analyzes his ministerial rivals and plans to combine their strengths to become the leading preacher in Zenith, aiming for a bishopric or larger city pulpit.
- [Chapter XXVI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/chapter-xxvi): Elmer's drive to increase his salary, build his church, and dominate the local religious scene through publicity and coalitions.
- [Lively Sunday Evenings and the Art of Publicity](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/i): Elmer's systematic courting of the press and influential figures like Colonel Snow reveals his drive for influence and status.
- [Chapter II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/ii): Elmer's drive to increase collections, secure a salary raise, and obtain assistants demonstrates his ambition and pursuit of power within the church.
- [Chapter XXVII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/chapter-xxvii): Elmer aspires to a bishopric, social status, and national influence, using his crusade and Chautauqua tour as stepping stones.
- [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/i): Elmer's relentless social climbing is evident as he joins the Rotary Club, learns golf, and maneuvers into the Tonawanda Country Club, all to gain influence and access to the wealthy elite.
- [Chapter XXX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/chapter-xxx): Elmer schemes to raise his salary, gain honorary degrees, and expand his influence through connections like J. E. North.
- [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/i): Elmer's satisfaction with his church's grandeur and his manipulation of Dr. Dodd for a degree illustrate his relentless pursuit of status and influence.
- [Chapter III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/iii): Elmer's new title and salary raise reflect his climbing status and the worldly rewards of his ministry.
- [V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/v): Elmer's relief at losing the last barrier to his 'confident greatness' underscores his relentless ambition.
- [VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/vi): Elmer strategically uses his network to secure a prestigious London preaching engagement, demonstrating his relentless ambition for status and recognition.
- [XII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/xii): Elmer relishes the applause and looks forward to boasting to influential figures in Zenith, showing his drive for recognition and status.
- [XIV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/xiv): Elmer eagerly accepts North's invitation to lecture, seeing it as a step toward greater influence and recognition beyond his parish.
- [XV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/xv): Elmer's vision of uniting moral organizations to become the 'emperor of America' exemplifies his unchecked ambition and desire for absolute control.
- [Chapter XXXI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/chapter-xxxi): Elmer's drive for fame and leadership in the Napap and Yorkville Church overshadows his personal relationships and moral integrity.
- [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/i): Elmer Gantry's potential career moves—executive secretary, bishopric, presidency, and prestigious pastorate—highlight his ambition and the power dynamics within religious institutions.
- [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/ii): Elmer's frustration with obstacles to his career and his self-image as a future ruler of America highlight his relentless ambition.
- [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/iv): Elmer's ambition to become the chief moral director of the country drives his relationship with Hettie, valuing her for her professional contributions.
- [Chapter VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/chapters/vi): Elmer's campaign is a stepping stone to higher influence within the Napap, as noted by J. E. North.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/themes/ambition_and_power
- Themes index: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/elmer_gantry_se/themes