It Can't Happen Here

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1935

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Summary

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Chapters 1-3

Chapters 4-7

Chapters 8-12

Chapters 13-17

Chapters 18-21

Chapters 22-25

Chapters 26-29

Chapters 30-34

Chapters 35-38

Character Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Tools

Discussion Questions

Essay Topics

During the 2016 US Presidential Election, It Can’t Happen Here returned to bestseller lists with many commentators comparing Donald Trump to Berzelius Windrip. Compare and contrast the two figures, both as candidates and as presidents.

It Can’t Happen Here has frequently been adapted into other mediums since its original publication in 1935. Why does the novel continue to resonate with readers? If you were tasked with producing a contemporary adaptation of the novel, what elements would you emphasize and how would you change or update the story?

The title of It Can’t Happen Here is ironic. What arguments does Lewis make that totalitarianism can happen in America? Do you find the thesis of the book persuasive?