Genre Analysis Of Arrowsmith As An Initiation Story

Sinclair Lewis(1885-1951), the first American writer being awarded the Nobel Prize in literature, is well known for his satire. He depicted the living conditions of the Americans in 1920s through his intensive observation of the society, and exposed the social evils existing in American in the manner of poignant satire. Arrowsmith is. acclaimed as his best satiric novel, in which the depiction of Martin Arrowsmith the protagonist helps to accomplish Lewis’exposure and criticism of the Pragmatism, Utilitarianism and Money Worship pervasive in American.Initiation story is a literary genre. It was originated in Germany, then was introduced into Great Britian and flourished in English novels, and took root in the fertile soil in American literature, being inherited and innovated through blending local elements by American novelists. Although initiation story was performed in a diverse variety by different writers of different nationalities, its typical characteristics in narrative elements, character and structure were unalterable and well preserved. As an initiation Story, Arrowsmith includes those characteristics of the common initiation stories.This thesis intends to analyze how Lewis manages to apply the specific literary genre, initiation story, in Arrowsmith, to present the initiation of the protagonist, enrich the characterization and realize his criticism on American social evils. According to the general characteristics of initiation stories, this thesis is divided into three parts.The first part analyzes Arrowsmith from the perspective of narrative elements. Some common narrative elements of initiation story are included in this novel: autobiographical elements, initiation of the protagonist, conflicts between man and society and between man and others and alienation.The second part discusses Arrowsmith from the perspective of characters. All the essential typical characters required by the common initiation story are to be found in this novel:the growing protagonist, the initiation guides and initiation companions in the growing process of the protagonist.The third part explores Arrowsmith from the perspective of structure. The narrative pattern of this novel conforms to the one that the common initiation story complies with, which is chronicled as protagonist being naive, being tempted, leaving home, feeling confused, meeting ordeals and sufferings, losing innocence, attaining epiphany, harvesting the perception of society, life and self, and making choice. Like the common initiation stories, this novel narrates in third-person point of view and has an open-ending, besides, it combines epiphany which is the key structural element in initiation stories.After the analysis of the above, the thesis arrives at a conclusion that Arrowsmith is a typical initiation story. Lewis satirizes the pragmatism, utilitarianism and money-worship popular in American society in 1920s by means of recording the seeings and doings of the protagonist, which provides the developed, abundant and restless contemporary society an apocalypse.