The Turmoil

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

—

Title

The Turmoil

Language

en

Book source

Global Grey

Description max 80 words

Booth Tarkington's satirical novel depicts a Midwestern city transformed by the insatiable god of 'Bigness.' As industry and ambition consume the landscape, a wealthy family faces the moral and physical toll of unchecked growth. With sharp wit and social critique, the story explores how the pursuit of wealth corrupts character, destroys community, and traps even the most powerful in a chaotic, soot-choked existence.

Summary up to 500 words

Set in a fictional Midwestern city that transforms from a pleasant, neighborly town into a grimy industrial metropolis, Booth Tarkington's *The Turmoil* examines the destructive nature of unchecked ambition and the worship of 'Bigness.' The narrative centers on the Sheridan family, whose patriarch, Sheridan, embodies the city's obsession with size and wealth. He views soot and smoke as life-blood, sacrificing cleanliness and health for profit. His son, Bibbs, is physically frail and considered a family disappointment, yet he possesses a sensitive soul that contrasts sharply with his father's brute force. The story follows the family's descent into financial and emotional turmoil. Sheridan's relentless drive brings diverse immigrants and machinery to the city, turning it into a roaring, dangerous place where laws are forgotten and safety is secondary to expansion. Bibbs, initially unaware of his father's true nature, witnesses a harrowing accident where his father instinctively saves him from a trolley car, revealing a hidden nobility beneath the greed. This moment awakens Bibbs to the reality of his father's blind worship of industry. Parallel to the Sheridans' struggles is the Vertrees family, who face their own dissolution. Mary Vertrees, a talented pianist, loses her instrument and her fiancé, Bibbs, to the pressures of the city's economy. The narrative weaves together the perspectives of the wealthy industrialists and those struggling to survive, highlighting the disparity between the 'greatness' celebrated by the rich and the suffering endured by the poor. As the city grows taller and dirtier, the characters are forced to confront the cost of their progress. The novel concludes with a poignant realization of love and the tragic realization that the city's god, Bigness, demands the sacrifice of human happiness and integrity.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

Download URL

https://www.globalgreyebooks.com/ebooks-2/booth-tarkington_turmoil.epub

Local file path

data/epubs/url-e774e1123951f332.epub

Download EPUB

Downloaded at

2026-08-13 16:36 UTC

Categories

• Fiction
• Family Saga
• Social satire