Arrowsmith by Sinclair Lewis Awesome- a word that we hear often without care for its meaning is suitable here- I’d say

 Arrowsmith by Sinclair Lewis

Awesome- a word that we hear often without care for its meaning is suitable here- I’d say

A few weeks ago I thought that Arrowsmith is the name of a rock band, which is not bad, albeit from now on I will not think of them when I hear this name.

Doctor Martin Arrowsmith is not just the hero of this marvelous novel, but the kind of hero that I love.

The book is so wonderful that I am bewildered to find on goodreads that the rating is below 4 stars, whereas for me it goes beyond the possible 5.

Yes, there are some passages and aspects that have not thrilled me, but the biggest part of the work is such a joy to read that it does not matter.

In fact, as I am considering the joy ride, I contemplate the possibility that the events that I did not like could have contributed to the overall exhilarating experience.

Referring to positive psychology which is helping me see things

-          Through a Glass (not darkly as in the famous Bergman movie, but) Brightly

I have learned that the optimal ratio between positive and negative events is

-          3 to 1

 As revealed in the masterpiece Positivity by Barbara Fredrickson.

It could be that the misfortunes that take place in this or any other novel contribute to the final enjoyment of the reader.

We need negative experiences to be able to enjoy the positive ones in life and this makes sense to apply in literature.

That being said, I must confess my prejudice-

-          I read stories and books that I find somehow happy, optimistic with the consequence that perhaps the perspective is distorted into a rosy, Panglossian image

-          Whenever there are gory images, I switch the channel, even when there are BBC documentaries dealing with serious subjects- history, secrets of the human mind/body…whatever.

It is going too far, but then there are accidents and deaths to deal with in other books, with a happier message – like Arrowsmith.

To begin with-and throughout his life- Martin Arrowsmith has to cope with many adversities and traumas.

He has no money or very little during long periods of his life, even after he becomes a doctor and then a scientist.

There is a fight at the core of the book and in the soul of its hero, between commercialism and idealism.

Martin wants to serve pure science and not have to deal with materialistic aspects, newspapers, crowds, money and fame.

As a human being, once in a while the man falls for various vices- like drinking which gets to him in various stages.

The part where his scientific endeavors are followed has been a bit tedious for me, as I have little training in the area and could not even figure out what is fiction and which of the bacteria, remedies really exist.

For whatever shortcomings Martin Arrowsmith had, he is still a romantic hero…or maybe classical or both, even if the latter is probably an oxymoron.

He wants to find the scientific truth and the principle behind various phenomena and he is outraged when Cliff, a former friend proposes an illegal scheme through which they would become rich, selling Martin’s invention.

Doctor Arrowsmith is so brave as to sail to a Caribbean island that has been severely hit by the plague and therefore is in quarantine.

He saves the population, although the work of determining the exact influence is not up to the high standards of the doctor, scientist and inventor.

There are all kinds of interesting, some positive and other despicable characters that populate this masterpiece- from the mentor Gottlieb, to the tender wife Leora, her family, various colleagues and superiors, congressmen, etc.

This is a fabulous and I would say that it was so great that moving on to read The Confessions of Nat Turner was bound to be problematic, coming from such a blissful experience