Arrowsmith Chapters 10–12 Summary & Analysis

Summary

Chapter 10

Dean Silva happily accepts Martin's return to the university. Silva is encouraging and understanding, and Martin's admiration for Gottlieb begins to become supplanted for that of Dean Silva. As a result, Martin puts his efforts into his studies as he had never before, without his previous cynicism.

Meanwhile, Leora is in Wheatsylvania. She has been expelled from the school of nursing because of her absences and her marriage. She writes to Martin and tells him she would like to join him in the fall and become a stenographer in order to earn a living. And thus, Martin goes to Wheatsylvania to pick up Leora against the will of her parents and her brother.

Upon his return to Zenith, Martin finds Leora a place where she can live in north Zenith while she attends the Zenith University of Business Administration and Finance. He travels the fairly short distance from Mohalis (where his medical school is) to where Leora lives in Zenith at least twice a week to study in what they call their "first home." They each study, take walks, see movies, and spend time with Clif Clawson. However, Clif moves to New York leaving Martin and Leora to grow closer and more dependent on each other.

It is Martin's senior year, and everyone is trying to figure out his or her course after graduation. Angus already has a job as a surgeon at the renowned Rouncefield Clinic, and Fatty decides to become an obstetrician. Martin does not know what he will do but eventually agrees, and not without pressure from Dean Silva and Leora's family, that after his two-year internship at Zenith General (where Angus would also do his internship) he will then move to Wheatsylvania to practice medicine. Leora's father has promised to pay for his equipment when they arrive in Wheatsylvania and to send the occasional check during Martin's internship.

Chapter 11

Chapter 11 recounts Martin's experiences as an intern at Zenith General. He tends to those hurt in a fire, is interviewed by reporters, is respected by crowds that surround accidents, and delivers a baby in a tenement during a serious flood, among other things. However, Martin's experience as an intern is not without its downfalls. He claims not to be able to develop a "bedside manner," and although he convinces himself that being an altruistic doctor is better than being a selfish and closed laboratory scientist, he still has his moments when he longs for the lab.

He finds himself doing blood counts and the like in the laboratory of the hospital just to quench his desire for the laboratory, but he consistently attempts to put it and the memory of Gottlieb out of his mind. Instead, he lingers on Dean Silva's words and even goes out to eat with Silva and Leora. Nevertheless, one day he runs into Max Gottlieb in the street, and although he is moved by their meeting, after which Leora excitedly admits to Martin that he Gottlieb must be a great man, he forgets him once again during the hectic move to Wheatsylvania.

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