Allusions/references To History, Geography and Culture
The story is set in Gopher Prairie, Minnesota, a fictionalized version of Sauk Centre, Minnesota, Lewis's hometown. The novel takes place in the 1910s, with references to the start of World War I, the United States' entry into the war, and the years following the end of the war, including the start of Prohibition.
With the book published in 1920, Lewis could not have written about the Roaring Twenties or the Great Depression to follow, but his characters give voice to many of the social and cultural attitudes which would become significant in the years to come.
Read more about this topic: Main Street (novel)
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