Essay Questions

How does Will Lightbody's treatment at the sanatorium go against what it best for him?

Will Lightbody is an alcoholic and the doctors at the sanatorium prescribe alcoholic tonics as his treatment. This is detrimental to his health and his attempt to recover from his addictions. This is contrary to the sanatorium's claim to protect health and well being.

Why does George Kellogg rebel against the ideals of his father?

George Kellogg sees the ideals of his father as contradictory to his actions. Dr. Kellogg promotes health and wellness and is seen as a prominent authority figure who is looked up to by many of his clientele. Yet he adopts orphans to use them in his experiments so they will be testimonials to his greatness. This failure in parenting leads George to rebel against his father and seek to show him as a fraud.

How is The Road to Wellville a farcical novel?

Boyle uses the antics of Kellogg to show that the excesses of society are everywhere. He purports his sanatorium to be a place for health and wellness, yet uses excessive means to try to change his clients behavior. He is supposed to be a cure for their addictions and excessive behavior, but only accentuates the excessiveness of this behavior. Boyle makes the characters believable and ridiculous at the same time to show this excessiveness and how it affects society.