The bartender put a notepad and a pencil before me. Breathing hard, the pencil trembling, I wrote:Dear Sinclair Lewis:You were once a god, but now you are a swine. I once reverenced you, admired you, and now you are nothing. I came to shake your hand in adoration, you, Lewis, a giant among American writers, and you rejected it. I swear I shall never read another line of yours again. You are an ill-mannered boor. You have betrayed me. I shall tell H. L. Muller about you, and how you have shamed me. I shall tell the world.Arturo BandiniP.S. I hope you choke on your steak.
The narrator reflects on a moment of disillusionment with the esteemed writer Sinclair Lewis. Once held in high regard, Lewis has fallen from grace in the narrator's eyes due to a personal slight. This disappointment drives the narrator to express their feelings in a letter filled with anger and contempt, denouncing Lewis as a once-revered figure who has become undeserving of respect. The emotional turmoil is evident as the narrator struggles with feelings of betrayal from a man they once admired deeply.
The letter captures a sense of personal betrayal and loss of admiration, leading to a vow never to engage with Lewis's work again. The tone shifts from reverence to outright disdain, showcasing the narrator's hurt. They express a desire to share this sentiment with others, indicating the impact of Lewis's actions on their view of literary greatness. In a dramatic conclusion, the narrator adds a harsh sentiment, emphasizing their feelings of anger and disappointment.
