Arrowsmith · Chapter
II explained
This chapter introduces Martin Arrowsmith as a boy in Elk Mills, Winnemac, in 1897.
What happens
This chapter introduces Martin Arrowsmith as a boy in Elk Mills, Winnemac, in 1897. He is the unofficial assistant to Doc Vickerson, a disheveled old doctor. Martin is described as a slender, dark-haired, restless boy with a passion for learning, reading Gray's Anatomy in the chaotic office. The room's wild raggedness symbolizes Doc Vickerson's character and serves as a lure to adventure for Martin.
Themes in this chapter
The Ideal of Pure Research
Martin's absorption in Gray's Anatomy and his fascination with the mysterious and secret matters of physiology hint at a nascent ideal of pure scientific inquiry.
Characters to notice
- Martin Arrowsmith
Introduced as a boy of fourteen, reading Gray's Anatomy in Doc Vickerson's office. Described as slender, with black hair and restless eyes, and a look of impertinent inquiry.
- Doc Vickerson
The aged, disheveled doctor whose office is the setting. His ragged room is described as the soul and symbol of his character.
- John Arrowsmith
Mentioned as Martin's father, who conducts the New York Clothing Bazaar in Elk Mills.
Key passages
“The wild raggedness of the room was the soul and symbol of Doc Vickerson; it was more exciting than the flat-faced stack of shoe-boxes in the New York Bazaar: it was the lure to questioning and adventure for Martin Arrowsmith.”
The chaotic state of the office perfectly reflected Doc Vickerson's character and was far more appealing to Martin than the orderly merchandise in his father's store, drawing him toward curiosity and exploration.
Highlights the contrast between the sterile commercial world and the messy, adventurous world of medicine that attracts Martin.