The Idealization of Science in Sinclair Lewis Arrowsmith Essay

The Idealization of Science in Sinclair Lewis' Arrowsmith Sinclair Lewis's 1924 novel Arrowsmith follows a pair of bacteriologists, Martin Arrowsmith and his mentor Max Gottlieb, as they travel through various professions in science and medicine in the early decades of the twentieth century. Through the brilliant researcher Gottlieb and his protà ©gà ©, Lewis explores the status and role of scientific work at universities, in industry, and at a private research foundation as well as in various medical positions. The picture he presents is one of tension and conflict between the goals and ideals of pure science and the environments in which his protagonists have to operate. Although Gottlieb and Arrowsmith are able to pursue their research in some places, their work is continually obstructed and undermined. The conclusion of the novel seems to suggest that it is essentially impossible to truly practice pure scientific research in early twentieth century America. It is only when Arrowsmith abandons his family and his job, cuts his ties with the world and retreats into a sort of scientific monastery with his compatriot Terry Wickett that he is able to "feel as if [he] were really starting to work."1 Many of the tensions that appear in Arrowsmith reflect actual debates and conflicts in the real world. The debate over whether universities should be dedicated primarily to teaching or to research (and whether that research should be practical or abstract) was important in the development of modern colleges and universities. There was a great deal of argument over the virtues of research laboratories in industry, and over how much control companies should exert over the scientists working in their labs and over the direction of their ... ...an University, 178. 12. Lewis, Arrowsmith, 136. 13. Ibid., 280. 14. Frank Jewett qtd. in Kevles, The Physicists, 100. 15. George Wise, "Ionists in Industry: Physical Chemistry at General Electric, 1900 - 1915," Isis 74 (1983), 7. 16. Kevles, The Physicists, 99 - 100. 17. Ibid., 100. 18. David Noble, America By Design: Science, Technology and the Rise of Corporate Capitalism (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1977), 112. Brackets as in the original. 19. Bruce, The Launching of Modern American Science, 141. 20. Frank Jewett qtd. in Noble, America By Design , 115. Ellipses as in the original. 21. Kevles, The Physicists, 25. 22. A. G. Bell & Hubbard qtd. in Ibid., 47. 23. Noble, America By Design, 112. Italics as in the original. 24. Lewis, Arrowsmith, 138. 25. Ibid., 409. 26. Hermann van Holst qtd. in Veysey, The Emergence of the American University, 150. The Idealization of Science in Sinclair Lewis' Arrowsmith Essay The Idealization of Science in Sinclair Lewis' Arrowsmith Sinclair Lewis's 1924 novel Arrowsmith follows a pair of bacteriologists, Martin Arrowsmith and his mentor Max Gottlieb, as they travel through various professions in science and medicine in the early decades of the twentieth century. Through the brilliant researcher Gottlieb and his protà ©gà ©, Lewis explores the status and role of scientific work at universities, in industry, and at a private research foundation as well as in various medical positions. The picture he presents is one of tension and conflict between the goals and ideals of pure science and the environments in which his protagonists have to operate. Although Gottlieb and Arrowsmith are able to pursue their research in some places, their work is continually obstructed and undermined. The conclusion of the novel seems to suggest that it is essentially impossible to truly practice pure scientific research in early twentieth century America. It is only when Arrowsmith abandons his family and his job, cuts his ties with the world and retreats into a sort of scientific monastery with his compatriot Terry Wickett that he is able to "feel as if [he] were really starting to work."1 Many of the tensions that appear in Arrowsmith reflect actual debates and conflicts in the real world. The debate over whether universities should be dedicated primarily to teaching or to research (and whether that research should be practical or abstract) was important in the development of modern colleges and universities. There was a great deal of argument over the virtues of research laboratories in industry, and over how much control companies should exert over the scientists working in their labs and over the direction of their ... ...an University, 178. 12. Lewis, Arrowsmith, 136. 13. Ibid., 280. 14. Frank Jewett qtd. in Kevles, The Physicists, 100. 15. George Wise, "Ionists in Industry: Physical Chemistry at General Electric, 1900 - 1915," Isis 74 (1983), 7. 16. Kevles, The Physicists, 99 - 100. 17. Ibid., 100. 18. David Noble, America By Design: Science, Technology and the Rise of Corporate Capitalism (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1977), 112. Brackets as in the original. 19. Bruce, The Launching of Modern American Science, 141. 20. Frank Jewett qtd. in Noble, America By Design , 115. Ellipses as in the original. 21. Kevles, The Physicists, 25. 22. A. G. Bell & Hubbard qtd. in Ibid., 47. 23. Noble, America By Design, 112. Italics as in the original. 24. Lewis, Arrowsmith, 138. 25. Ibid., 409. 26. Hermann van Holst qtd. in Veysey, The Emergence of the American University, 150.