Main Street

For this book jacket redesign of Main Street by Sinclair Lewis, I wanted to bring the novel’s tension to life which included Carol Kennicott’s desire to modernize a traditional small town. Although the town’s quiet but firm resistance to change creates tension and difficulties. I used an overlay of graph paper and blue ink to represent Carol’s structured, future vision that is layered over a base of faded black typography that reflects the town’s old-fashioned roots. The contrast between the two elements shows her planning and determination, while the background suggests how firmly the town holds onto its identity. This visual layering brings forward the question the book poses which is "Can one woman change a town, or will the town change her?"

To tie everything together, I carried the paper and blue ink elements across the entire jacket, creating consistency and a sense of intentional design. Each letter drawn on the grid resembles a blueprint, symbolizing Carol’s thoughtful approach to reforming the town. On the spine, the letter "T" stands out in blueprint form, offering a subtle sneak peek to the viewer of what the story is about even when the book is sitting on a shelf. I also used blue text to highlight quotes and key themes, helping guide the reader’s attention and emphasizing Carol’s voice and the messages within the story. The overall effect is a visual representation of ambition, conflict, and the struggle between tradition and change.