Problem of Individual Adjustment and Negative Knowledge in Sinclair Lewis's Arrowsmith

Abstract

This research maintains the fact that there is a difficulty for working class people to adjust with the capitalist way of life. As the protagonist, Martin Arroswmith, assimilates himself with thecapitalistic system, his working class background cannot make him like a ruling person. And when he isolates himself from the capitalistic system he cannot become like a working class person because he has already left his background. Therefore, he suffering from double alienation. His mind is ideologically manipulated in such a way that he totally fails to see how he is exploited. He cannot see the politics behind the constructions of different ideals in the capitalistic system. Moreover, Martin Arrowsmith is blind towards the exploitation of capitalism till Hunjiker offers him the rank of Director of McGurk institute. The moment he becomes conscious about the capitalistic ethos, he totally isolates himself from the society. Therefore, his assimilation as well as isolation from capitalism are of extreme points. And these extreme positions make him a failed individual to generate the negative dialectics.