It Can't Happen Here

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?

Compare and contrast the different female characters in the novel with respect to their politics and behavior. How do they compare with the Windrip regime’s conception of femininity?

As a 60-year-old, middle-class intellectual, Doremus Jessup is hardly a traditional protagonist or resistance fighter. Why do you think Lewis crafted Jessup as he did?

What does Lewis identify as the key features that allow totalitarianism to take hold? Do you agree or disagree with his assessments? 

How does Windrip use technology and the media to fuel his rise to power? Compare and contrast this with how politicians and candidates use media and technology today.

In contrast to many other dystopian novels, Lewis set It Can’t Happen Here in the present day and utilized many contemporary political figures. Why do you think he chose to do this, and how does it relate to the arguments made in the novel?

What does Lewis think is the appropriate role of citizens both under a democracy and under totalitarianism?