Work of Art by Sinclair Lewis

Sinclair Lewis often wrote about service, whether it was service to a family, a boss, a society, or something greater. These common theme is seen in many forms and in many lights throghout his works, and Work of Art is no exception.

"Work of Art" is a 1934 novel by Lewis that has strong currents of these themes while focusing on the world of hotels and hotel management.

In this Lewis book three generations of the Weagle family grow up in, and work for, boarding houses, inns, and hotels. The main narrative focus is on the two Weagle brothers Myron and Ora, both from the second generation.

Ora was a poetic dreamer who couldn't wait to escape what he saw as constant drudgery, yet he often found himself having to asking seemingly more content Myron for more money.

Myron stayed in the business and thought, learned, and breathed hotels. This dedication resulted in a steady career climb to national respect of early 20th century hotel managers. The downside to this is that Myron began to dream, then obsess, over the design of what would be the perfect inn or dream hotel, but he could never achieve this perfection.

Things looked good, but as more and more was expected of hotel managers, particularly at "oozing unfelt concern and frienship," Myron tubled and eventually lost everything, never able to see service as a Metaphysical state of being and necessity as some others preached.

Myron rose and fell, and then eventually obsessed over service in a way that was so over the top as to be comically tragic. In this work Lewis is kind enough to spare his poor protagonist, who drives to a small town many states away and transforms it into the type of hotel that future travelers: car travelers, would want, bringing a peace and togetherness that he doesn't find at any other point in the story.