Stylistic Analysis of “Arrowsmith” by Sinclair Lewis

Text Analyses Arrowsmith by Sinclair Lewis Starting reading the extract from the novel of the first American awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature whizz can predict that the whole book is quite subjective. The description of the geographical position of the state Winnemac and its largest urban center makes exactly such impression. But when the reader goes on he faces re eachy vivid examples of hyperbola, epithets, zeugma, metaphors and other rhetorical devices. One becomes immersed in the bright, humorous and at the same time critical world of Sinclair Lewis.The author mocks at the weak points of education, at ridiculous university traditions and the life of students in general. The title of the story Arrowsmith depicts the surname of the main character. It is a quite rare English surname. The second part of the compound Smith means a person who does something extraordinary. An arrow is usually associated with reaching a goal. The surname Arrowsmith is suitable for a person who is initiative, able to take critically, who is patient and persuasive in doing his job.Martin Arrowsmith is just this type of a person. For his shyness he is an attractive untested man devoted to his studying. The author describes his university experience. The story is a 3-d person narration. It emphasizes that the author is not a participant of the events but just an observer. The description of the university of Winnemac is full of exaggeration . Its comparison to Oxford and Harvard, its buildings measured by the sea mile are good examples of hyperbole.The enumeration of the disciplines taught at Winnemac is used to show the great mix of useless subjects that students should apportion with and to depict the broad specialization of universities where Doctors of Philosophy just give rapid instructions. Sinclair Levis says that such variety of subjects cant guarantee a good quality of education. The epithets leisury nonsence, snobbish college are contradicted by a bright metap hor the university is a mill to turn out men and women who will lead righteous lives .All these devices help the reader to catch the sight of banter which is used more vividly in the sentence where the university is compared to a Ford Motor Factory. It is also a metaphor and this hidden comparison is used to course credit that the work of a college is mensurationized and there is no ground for developing creative thinking, different from the standard one. Everything is designed to produce ordinary people ready to serve for the society. The characteristic of Martin is also very bright. talk of the town about his prospects the author uses enumeration a respectable runner, a fair basketball center, a vehement hockey player.The example of metaphor is The University has become his world. It puts emphasis on Martins loneliness and devotedness to studying. Describing Digamma Pi Sinclair Lewis uses zeugma It was a lively boarding-house with a billiard table and low prices, In a fra ternity, all tennis rackets, trousers and opinions are held in common. Then goes oxymoron comfortably immoral . Everything depicts the doubtful reputation of the fraternity. The chat between Martin and Ira Hinkley is spiced with antithesis high ideals- tortured bodies and oxymoron rottenest advantages.But the most vivid is the description of Fatty Pfaff. Here Sinclair Lewis uses irony saying that he was the most useful to Digamma Pi, simile he looked like a distended sizzling water bottle, oxymoron he was magnificently imbecile, bright enumeration he believed everything, he knew nothing, he could memorize nothing. All these rhetorical devises help to create the vivid image of Fatty, his appearance and irrational innocence. On the example of this character the author shows stupid traditions and cruel behavior of the students.But still in every company there is such butt to whom thoughtful house-mates (irony again) like to play tricks. The metaphor the living way of life sugge sted a recent cyclone is the most suitable for the description of Digamma Pi. Then goes the enumeration of a great many a(prenominal) of things that can be found there. Everything is used to show the way of life of students. Sinclair Lewis is a master of stylistic devises. His irony is vivid, his metaphor is bright, he forces the reader to think over the most burning problems of education and the life style of students at the same time entertaining the public.