The Plague Metaphor in Arrowsmith

Abstract

In Sinclair Lewis' novel Arrowsmith, through its rich disease narrative, an image of an upright doctor who encounters repeated setbacks in social practice is created. The novel satirizes the materialism of society and the abuse of power by government officials in the early 20th century. Unlike the mere description of disease symptoms from a medical perspective, the author's depiction of disease in the novel carries profound metaphorical connotations. Therefore, based on Susan Sontag's theory of disease as metaphor, this paper focuses on the plague in the novel. By analyzing the three metaphors embodied in the plague, it reveals the realistic problems in the colonial society, such as official corruption, the distortion of people's values and moral degradation. In the novel, Lewis criticizes the colonial society by virtue of the disease narrative, demonstrating the close connection between disease and society.