The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit

The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit is a novel by American author Sloan Wilson, published in 1955. In the novel, Wilson critiques the alienation of post-war American society through the story of Tom Rath. Wilson wrote a sequel, titled The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit II, which was published almost 30 years later, in 1984. The first novel was quickly adapted into a film of the same name, released in 1956.

This guide uses the 1955 Simon and Schuster edition of the novel.

Content Warning: The source text and this guide describe suicide, alcohol misuse, and mental health conditions, specifically connected to war trauma.

Plot Summary

Tom Rath is a 33-year-old veteran of World War II who lives in Westport, Connecticut, with his wife Betsy and their three children. The Raths reside in a dilapidated house, and despite Tom's steady job at a charitable foundation, the family faces financial difficulties. Tom and Betsy have come to loathe their little house as a symbol of their middle-class purgatory.

Driven by financial pressures and the desire to improve his family's living conditions, Tom learns about a lucrative public relations position at the United Broadcasting Company (UBC) through his friend Bill Hawthorne.