Survival of the Sickest
Introduction + Context
Plot Summary
Detailed Summary & Analysis
Introduction Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Conclusion
Themes
All Themes Evolution and Illness Interspecies Connectivity and Adaptation Environment, Ancestry, and Race Genetic Expression, Acquired Traits, and Mutation Interdisciplinary Science and Research
Quotes
Characters
All Characters Sharon Moalem Aran Gordon Charles Darwin Jean-Baptiste Lamarck Alister Hardy Elaine Morgan David Barker Barbara McClintock Paul Ewald
Terms
All Terms Anemia Epigenetics Favism Folic acid Free radicals Hayflick limit Hemochromatosis Transposons (“jumping genes”) Macrophage Malaria Methylation Retrovirus Phytoestrogens Weissman barrier Younger Dryas
Symbols
All Symbols iPod
Upgrade to LitCharts A+
Instant downloads of all 1916 LitChart PDFs (including Survival of the Sickest).
LitCharts Teacher Editions. Teach your students to analyze literature like LitCharts does.
Detailed explanations, analysis, and citation info for every important quote on LitCharts.
The original text plus a side-by-side modern translation of every Shakespeare play.
Literature
Guides Poetry
Guides Literary
Terms Shakespeare
Translations
Ask
LitCharts AI
Ask
AI
Literature
Lit
Poetry
Lit Terms
Terms
Shakescleare Ask AI

Survival of the Sickest

by

Sharon Moalem
Download this LitChart! (PDF)
Teachers and parents! Our Teacher Edition on Survival of the Sickest makes teaching easy.

Aran Gordon Character Analysis

Gordon is a long-distance runner with hemochromatosis (an inherited disease in which the body stores too much iron). In 1997, as Gordon trains for the Marathon des Sables, a 150-mile race across the Sahara Desert, he starts to experience joint pain and heart problems. He goes to several doctors, who are unable to explain his symptoms or who misdiagnose him. After three years, they finally discover that Gordon has hemochromatosis. Gordon is given five years to live if he does not treat the condition. He starts giving blood—the treatment of choice for hemochromatosis—and he goes on to run the Marathon des Sables twice. Gordon’s story illustrates how an increased understanding of how iron functions in the body proved tangibly beneficial for people with hemochromatosis, and it also shows that previously-dismissed treatments for the condition (like bloodletting) may have actually been beneficial.

Aran Gordon Quotes in Survival of the Sickest

The Survival of the Sickest quotes below are all either spoken by Aran Gordon or refer to Aran Gordon. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Evolution and Illness Theme Icon
).
Chapter 1 Quotes

Today, we know that Aran suffered the effects of the most common genetic disorder in people of European descent—hemochromatosis, a disorder that may very well have helped his ancestors to survive the plague.

Today, Aran’s health has been restored through bloodletting, one of the oldest medical practices on earth.

Today, we understand much more about the complex interrelationship of our bodies, iron, infection, and conditions like hemochromatosis and anemia.

Related Characters: Sharon Moalem (speaker), Aran Gordon
Evolution and Illness Theme Icon
Interdisciplinary Science and Research Theme Icon
Page Number: 21
Explanation and Analysis:
Get the entire Survival of the Sickest LitChart as a printable PDF.
Download
Survival of the Sickest PDF

Aran Gordon Quotes in Survival of the Sickest

The Survival of the Sickest quotes below are all either spoken by Aran Gordon or refer to Aran Gordon. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Evolution and Illness Theme Icon
).
Chapter 1 Quotes

Today, we know that Aran suffered the effects of the most common genetic disorder in people of European descent—hemochromatosis, a disorder that may very well have helped his ancestors to survive the plague.

Today, Aran’s health has been restored through bloodletting, one of the oldest medical practices on earth.

Today, we understand much more about the complex interrelationship of our bodies, iron, infection, and conditions like hemochromatosis and anemia.

Related Characters: Sharon Moalem (speaker), Aran Gordon
Evolution and Illness Theme Icon
Interdisciplinary Science and Research Theme Icon
Page Number: 21
Explanation and Analysis:
Home About Contact Help
Copyright © 2024 All Rights Reserved
Terms Privacy Privacy Request
The LitCharts.com logo.
Requesting a new guide requires a free LitCharts account
You'll also get updates on new titles we publish and the ability to save highlights and notes.

or

Already have an account? Sign in
Complete your free account to request a guide
Already have an account? Sign in
The LitCharts.com logo.
Creating notes and highlights requires a free LitCharts account.
You'll be able to access your notes and highlights, make requests, and get updates on new titles.

or

Already have an account? Sign in
Complete your free account to access notes and highlights
Already have an account? Sign in
The LitCharts.com logo.
Saving guides requires a free LitCharts account
Easily access your saved guides anytime.

or

Already have an account? Sign in
Complete your free account to save guides
Already have an account? Sign in