Sinclair Lewis: Arrowsmith

Arrowsmith (1925) was Sinclair Lewis's third major novel, following the successful publication of his critically acclaimed and best-selling novels, Main Street (1920) and Babbitt (1922). Although his two earlier novels had attracted widespread attention, Lewis had been criticized because his satirical depiction of American life featured no really admirable characters. In spite of the fact that Arrowsmith exposed many of the faults of the medical profession, from medical school through small town practice, public health work, and medical research, Lewis's protagonist, Martin Arrowsmith, is an idealistic doctor and scientist who attempts to circumvent the pitfalls that lie in wait for medical doctors practising