Enemy of the People :: Essays Papers

Enemy of the People The book I read was written by Ibsen and called Enemy of the People. There were nine characters in this book but only five main characters. Dr. Stockmann, Hovstad, Aslaksen, Peter, and Billing. The protagonist was Doctor Stockmann. He has just discovered that a bathing complex that is crucial to the town’s economy is seriously contaminated. He alerts several members of the community and receives generous support and thanks for making this discovery in time to save the town. The next day his brother, the town mayor and the antagonist, tells him he has to retract his statement to the town because to repair the bath it would cost to much money for the town; the mayor is not convinced by the doctors findings. They have a huge argument, but the Doctor hopes that the newspaper will support him. But the mayor convinces the newspaper to oppose him. Soon after the doctor holds a town meeting to tell everyone about the baths. The mayor and Aslaksen, the newspaper printer, try to keep him from speaking. The doctor begins a long lecture in which he condemns the foundations of the town and the tyranny of the majority. The people find his speech offensive and revolt against the doctor. The next morning the doctor’s house is vandalized and all the people who supported him earlier now oppose him. Instead of leaving the town the doctor stays in the town to defy authority. His family is supportive and he says, â€Å"that the strongest man is the man who stands alone.† Psychology plays a main part in the conclusion of the story. Its mob psychology, in the story the newspaper editors did support him and so did most of the town up until the mayor got to them and told them that he was bad. The people knew that the baths were no good and contaminated but they were to afraid to voice there opinion in fear that they might be different and consider bad to the town authorities. So mob psychology deals with people who don’t want to stand out in a crowd no matter what is going to happen to them or the town.