Arrowsmith · Characters
Character guide
Key figures in Arrowsmith by Sinclair Lewis.
Martin Arrowsmith
major
Also known as Martin, Arrowsmith, young Arrowsmith, Mart, Marty, Dr. Martin Arrowsmith, Captain Martin Arrowsmith
A passionate young doctor and scientist who seeks truth in research while navigating love and ambition.
Leora Tozer
major
Also known as Leora, Tozer, Leora Tozer
Martin's devoted and practical wife, a nurse who supports his scientific work.
Max Gottlieb
major
Also known as Dr. Gottlieb, Gottlieb, Professor Gottlieb, old Gottlieb, Max
A brilliant, exacting German-Jewish bacteriologist who becomes Martin's mentor and ideal.
Clif Clawson
supporting
Also known as Clif, Clawson, Good old Clif
Martin's boisterous, loyal medical school friend with a crude but good heart.
Gustaf Sondelius
supporting
Also known as Sondelius, Gustaf
A flamboyant, globe-trotting Swedish epidemiologist who fights plague with gusto.
Joyce Lanyon
supporting
Also known as Joyce, Joy
A wealthy, sophisticated society woman who becomes Martin's second wife.
Terry Wickett
supporting
Also known as Wickett, Terry, Capitola McGurk, McGurk
A blunt, brilliant chemist who becomes Martin's closest research colleague.
Angus Duer
supporting
Also known as Duer, Angus, Gus
A coldly ambitious medical student and later surgeon, Martin's rival.
Almus Pickerbaugh
supporting
Also known as Doc Pickerbaugh, Pickerbaugh, Dr. Pickerbaugh, Doc
An exuberant, politically-minded public health officer in Nautilus.
Madeline Fox
minor
Also known as Madeline, Maddy, Fox
A poetic, willowy young woman who briefly courts Martin in medical school.
A. DeWitt Tubbs
supporting
Also known as Dr. Tubbs, Tubbs, old Tubbs, Col. Dr. Tubbs
The pompous, bureaucratic director of the McGurk Institute.
Rippleton Holabird
supporting
Also known as Holabird, Dr. Holabird, Director Holabird, Major Holabird
A smooth, politically savvy scientist and administrator at the McGurk Institute.
Orchid Pickerbaugh
minor
Also known as Orchid, Pickerbaugh, poor little Orchid
Almus Pickerbaugh's flirtatious, frivolous daughter.
Fatty Pfaff
minor
Also known as Fatty Pfaff, Pfaff
A jovial, overweight medical student and friend of Martin's.
Ira Hinkley
minor
Also known as Reverend Ira Hinkley, Ira, Hinkley
A sanctimonious medical student who later becomes a preacher.
Bert Tozer
minor
Also known as Bert, Tozer, Bertie
Leora's brother, a farmer in Wheatsylvania.
Andrew Jackson Tozer
minor
Also known as Mr. Tozer, Andrew Jackson Tozer, Jackson
Leora's stern, religious father, a farmer.
R. E. Inchcape Jones
minor
Also known as Dr. Inchcape Jones, Inchcape Jones, Inchcape
A reserved, efficient British scientist at the McGurk Institute.
Doc Vickerson
minor
Also known as Doc Vickerson, Old Doc Vickerson, Vickerson
The elderly, alcoholic country doctor who inspires young Martin.
Dean Silva
minor
Also known as Silva, Dad Silva
The kindly dean of the medical school at Mohalis.
Irving Watters
minor
Also known as Irving Watters, Watters, Irve
A medical school classmate of Martin's, later a small-town doctor.
Pearl Robbins
minor
Also known as Miss Pearl Robbins, Pearl Robbins, Pearl
A nurse at the McGurk Institute who assists Martin.
Cecil Twyford
minor
Also known as Cecil Twyford, Twyford, Cecil
A wealthy, eccentric Englishman who funds a plague expedition.
Sandy Arrowsmith
minor
Also known as Sandy, Arrowsmith
Martin and Leora's young son.
Ross McGurk
minor
Also known as McGurk, Ross
The wealthy industrialist who funds the McGurk Institute.
Clay Tredgold
minor
Also known as Tredgold, Clay
A wealthy, astronomy-obsessed dilettante and friend of Joyce.
Dawson Hunziker
minor
Also known as Hunziker, Mr. Hunziker, Daws Hunziker
A farmer and neighbor of the Tozers in Wheatsylvania.
Sir Robert Fairlamb
minor
Also known as Colonel Sir Robert Fairlamb, Fairlamb, Sir Robert
A British colonial official involved in the plague campaign.
Norman Brumfit
minor
Also known as Dr. Norman Brumfit, Brumfit
A fellow researcher at the McGurk Institute.
Benoni Carr
minor
Also known as Dr. Benoni Carr, Carr
A missionary doctor in the Caribbean encountered by Martin.
Lloyd Davidson
minor
Also known as Dr. Lloyd Davidson, Davidson
A physician in Nautilus who opposes Pickerbaugh.
Rufus Ockford
minor
Also known as Dr. Rufus Ockford, Ockford, Rufus
A young doctor in Nautilus and friend of Martin's.
Adam Winter
minor
Also known as Dr. Adam Winter, Dr. Winter, Winter, old Winter
An elderly doctor in Leopolis who mentors Martin briefly.
William T. Smith
minor
Also known as Dr. William T. Smith, Billy Smith, Dr. Billy Smith
A fellow researcher at the McGurk Institute.
Oliver Marchand
minor
Also known as Dr. Oliver Marchand, Marchand
A scientist at the McGurk Institute.
Roscoe Geake
minor
Also known as Dr. Roscoe Geake, Geake
A pompous scientist at the McGurk Institute.
Aaron Sholtheis
minor
Also known as Dr. Sholtheis, Aaron Sholtheis, Sholtheis
A neat, precise scientist at the McGurk Institute.
John Arrowsmith
minor
Also known as John Arrowsmith, little John
Martin's father, a farmer in Elk Mills.
Mrs. Gottlieb
minor
Also known as Mrs. Gottlieb
Max Gottlieb's long-suffering wife.
Mrs. Lanyon
minor
Also known as Mrs. Lanyon
Joyce Lanyon's mother, a society matron.
Mrs. Fox
minor
Also known as Mrs. Fox
Madeline Fox's mother.
Mrs. Duer
minor
Also known as Mrs. Duer
Angus Duer's wealthy, social-climbing mother.
Mrs. Tredgold
minor
Also known as Mrs. Tredgold, Mrs. Clay Tredgold
Clay Tredgold's friendly wife.
Mrs. McGurk
minor
Also known as Mrs. Ross McGurk
Ross McGurk's wife.
Mrs. Pickerbaugh
minor
Also known as Mrs. Almus Pickerbaugh
Almus Pickerbaugh's wife.
Mrs. Holabird
minor
Also known as Mrs. Rippleton Holabird
Rippleton Holabird's wife.
Mrs. Tozer
minor
Also known as Mother Tozer
Leora's mother.
Mrs. Watters
minor
Also known as Mrs. Irving Watters
Irving Watters' wife.
Mrs. Novak
minor
Also known as Mrs. Novak
Henry Novak's wife.
Mrs. Dawson
minor
Also known as Mrs. Dawson of Memphis
A charming society woman met by Martin.
Mrs. McCandless
minor
Also known as Mrs. McCandless
A woman encountered by Martin on a ship.
Mrs. Tromp
minor
Also known as Mrs. Tromp
A woman on the plague island.
Mrs. Beeson
minor
Also known as Mrs. Beeson
A patient of Martin's in Wheatsylvania.
Mrs. Reverend Jones
minor
Also known as Mrs. Reverend Jones
A woman in Wheatsylvania.
Miss Gwilliam
minor
Also known as Miss Gwilliam
A country-club woman who offends Sondelius.
Ada Quist
minor
Also known as Miss Ada Quist, Ada Quist
A nurse in Nautilus.
Agnes Ingleblad
minor
Also known as Miss Agnes Ingleblad, Agnes
A young woman in Wheatsylvania.
Miss Byers
minor
Also known as Miss Byers
A nurse at the McGurk Institute.
Henry Novak
minor
Also known as Henry Novak, Novak
A farmer neighbor of the Tozers.
Pete Yeska
minor
Also known as Pete
A young man in Wheatsylvania.
Ed Blassner
minor
Also known as Ed, Blassner
A farmer in Wheatsylvania.
Henry Norwalk
minor
Also known as Henry Norwalk
A man in Nautilus.
F. X. Jordan
minor
Also known as Mr. F. X. Jordan, Jordan
A man in Nautilus.
Mayor Pugh
minor
Also known as Pugh, Mr. Pugh
The mayor of Nautilus.
President Truscott
minor
Also known as Truscott
The president of the university in Mohalis.
Dr. Coughlin
minor
Also known as Dr. Coughlin of Leopolis
A doctor in Leopolis.
Nicholas Yeo
minor
Also known as Dr. Yeo, Dr. Nicholas Yeo, Yeo
A British doctor on the plague expedition.
Dr. Bissex
minor
Also known as Bissex
A doctor in Nautilus.
Dr. Rouncefield
minor
Also known as Rouncefield
A doctor at the McGurk Institute.
Dr. Stokes
minor
Also known as Stokes
A doctor at the McGurk Institute.
Dr. Hesselink
minor
Also known as Hesselink, Dr. Hesselink of Groningen
A Dutch bacteriologist who visits the McGurk Institute.
Dr. Entwisle
minor
Also known as Entwisle
A doctor briefly mentioned at the McGurk Institute.
Dr. Birchall
minor
Also known as Dr. Birchall
A doctor at the McGurk Institute.
Dr. Robertshaw
minor
Also known as Robertshaw, John Aldington Robertshaw
A doctor at the McGurk Institute.
Oliver O. Stout
minor
Also known as Dr. Oliver O. Stout, Stout
A doctor at the McGurk Institute.
Doc Needham
minor
Also known as Doc Needham
A doctor in Wheatsylvania.
Doc Winter
minor
Also known as Doc Winter
A doctor in Leopolis.
Dr. Wickett
minor
Also known as Dr. Wickett
A doctor at the McGurk Institute.
Paul H. DeKruif
minor
Also known as Dr. Paul H. DeKruif
A scientist mentioned in acknowledgments.
