Jack London
A Study of Jack London’s Belief in Darwinism
Jack London has a strong belief in Darwinism, survival of the fittest, during the
late 1800’s through the early 1900’s, when he wrote. Throughout his writings, many
characters display London’s belief in Darwinism. In the novel, The Call of the Wild,
Jack London’s belief in social darwinism is portrayed by animals interacting with
humans, each other, and the environment. This can be shown through Buck, a house dog
turned sled dog, interacting with his masters, other dogs, and the Yukon wilderness.
As Buck travels from master to master throughout the course of the novel he
learns, through trial and error, what behavior brings rewards, and that which brings
punishment.
[Buck] had never been struck by a club in his life, and did
not understand. ...he was [now] aware that it was a club,
but his madness knew no caution. A dozen times he
charged, and as often the club broke the charge and smashed
him down (London 18).
Buck “...had learned the lesson, and in all his after life he never forgot it. That club was a revelation. ...the lesson was driven home to Buck: a man with a club was a lawgiver, a master to be obeyed...” (London 20). Buck learned to do as his masters say. “...he grew honestly to respect them. He speedily learned that Perrault and Francois were fair men...” (London 21). Buck also learned when and how to defend himself against man.
London’s depiction of Buck’s struggle to learn how to survive in an unfamiliar
environment has been compared to western society’s struggle with encroaching communism. “The study of Jack London’s work became a mirror of the turbulent McCarthy era...” (Veggian 2). Through these struggles, Buck was able to adapt and survive in a world controlled by man.
Buck also had to learn when and how to fight other dogs. Eventually Buck
Fought and killed Spitz to become lead dog. “Buck stood and looked on, the successful
champion, the dominant primordial beast who had made his kill and found it good”
(London 42). London often witnessed these dog fights and this influenced his writing.
“...he found the first successful theme for his writing in a last frontier splurge...” (Walker 12). Although Buck had troubles with his new peers, he also had a great conflict with his new home.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that humans, each other, and the environment are shown through buck, a house dog.
- Analyzes how buck learned to do as his masters say. he quickly learned that perrault and francois were fair men.
- Analyzes how the study of jack london's work became a mirror of the turbulent mccarthy era.
- Narrates how buck fought and killed spitz to become a lead dog.
- Analyzes how buck found the first successful theme for his writing in a last frontier splurge.
- Illustrates how buck quickly adapted to live in this new environment. another method of keeping warm was to stay close to the campfire.
- Opines that london believes in the call of the wild, which is a celebration of animal instincts.
Related
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- Jack Londonexplanatory essayJack London The story of Jack London's life really is one of rags to riches. He was born in San Francisco on January 12, 1876 as John Griffith Chaney. I'd like to take you through the story of his life and examine a few of his significant literary works along the way. The Dictionary of Literary Biography Volume 78 says that "the biographical consensus is that his father was William Henry Chaney, a "Professor of Astrology" with whom his mother, Flora Wellman, was living as a fellow spiritualist and common-law wife in 1875." (DOLB 78).
In this essay, the author
- Explains that jack london's life is one of rags to riches. he was born in san francisco on january 12, 1876 as john griffith chaney.
- Describes how jack was introduced to the world of books by visiting the oakland public library. ouida's signa inspired him to compose works of literature instead of music.
- Analyzes how jack's mother squandered money on get rich quick schemes and forced him to work part-time to support the family. he hated physical labor and turned that trauma into a powerful story called "the apostate."
- Narrates how london borrowed money and bought himself a fishing ship to begin his career as an oyster pirate. after an altercation with the law due to his oyster pirating, he switched sides and joined the california fish patrol.
- Explains that sailor jack's sailing days weren't over yet after leaving the fish patrol. he took work on a sealing ship which gave him material for "the sea-wolf".
- Describes how jack deserted coxey's army and ran around as a hobo until he was arrested in niagra falls, new york.
- Describes how london returned to california after the jail experience and began studying to get into college. he only spent one semester at u.c. berkeley due to financial reasons.
- Explains that klondike experiences gave him material for such great novels as "call of the wild" and "white fang."
- Narrates how jack's life continued with 2 marriages, traveling, and contracted diseases. he succumbed to illness in 1916.
- Cites the dictionary of literary biography, volume 78: american short-story writers, 1880-1910. a bruccoli clark layman book.
- Cites thomson gale's dictionary of literary biography, volume 78: american short-story writers, 1880-1910. a bruccoli clark layman book.
- Explains dictionary of literary biography, volume 212: twentieth-century american western writers, second series. a bruccoli clark layman book.
1080 wordsRead More - The Call Of Jack Londonanalytical essayThe Call Of Jack London During a time when man had gold fever, and philosophical views plagued the minds of many, one man took these views and turned them into great outdoor adventures. John “Jack” Griffith London, a twentieth century author, wrote The Call of the Wild, other novels, and short stories that depict the philosophical views of the time and added adventure to them by using his own life experiences that carried thousands of men including himself to the Klondike in search of gold. In Winter 1876 San Francisco John and Flora London shared the joy of childbirth in the celebration of their only child together. They named the baby boy John Griffith London, or Jack for short.
In this essay, the author
- Narrates how john "jack" griffith london, a twentieth-century author, wrote the call of the wild, other novels, and short stories.
- Narrates how john and flora london shared the joy of childbirth in the celebration of their only child, named john griffithlondon, or jack for short.
- Explains that jack london's family was stricken by poverty. his father had many trades, but worked mainly in truckgardening.
- Narrates how jack london became an oyster pirate, robbing oyster beds and becoming a heavy drinker.
- Describes how jack gave up school to support his family and persuade a writing career. he joined the gold rush to the klondike in the summer of 1897.
- Narrates how jack london's first novel, the call of the wild, was accepted by overlandmonthly and was in demand by other magazines.
- Narrates how jack london went to the russo-japanese war as a correspondent for the san franciscoexaminer. he was sued for divorce and remarried charmain kittredge.
- Explains that crew and jack became vary sick and were forced to abandon the trip within a two year time. uremic poisoning was ruled the cause of his death.
- Analyzes how the second half of the nineteenth century called american fiction writers to turn to europe and france for inspiration.
- Analyzes how london created adventure stories entirely off their head, using real life experience and philosophy to create realistic and powerful stories full of adventure.
- Analyzes how london's other novels were based on the concept of racialhierarchy and the american credo of success.
- Analyzes how london gradually takes away all human contact around the main character, buck, until there is none left, and heis own his own as a wild savage
- Analyzes how london at his absolute best is seen running ahead of the pack through the pale moonlight orglimmering burealis, leaping gigantic above his fellows, his throat a-bellow.
- Explains that the narrative reveals various sorts of relations to the patterns of such a society. the main characters in call of the wild are st. bernard and scottish shepherd.
- Analyzes how a spitz had many savage traits that he used to keep the rest of the team in line. the final main character is john thornton.
- Analyzes how the setting of the story takes place in multipleenvironments.
- Analyzes how jack london's the call of the wild is a twisted interpretation of charles darwin’s theory of evolution.
- Analyzes how the story merely takes the reader through buckslife showing the gradual decent. like many london’sworks, he based his stories on current philosophical topics.
- Narrates how buck was sold as a prospective sled dog for the primaryuse of gold searching in the klondike. he was transported by boat and train to alaska, all the while being mistreated.
- Describes how buck, anintelligent and quick learner, quickly learned the way of life for a sled dog.
- Narrates how the sled drivers pushed the exhausted, near death dogs on, some to their death and others evenclose to it. buck, the undisputed leader of the team,refused to go on further.
- Narrates how john thornton intervened on buck's beating and saved his life. after many days of rest, buck was granted the rest he deserved.
- Narrates how thornton's acute savage senses returned and he was able to hunt and kill prey that was many times his size. buck would live forever more as amyth
- Describes the unanswered questions of life, death, and the struggle to survive with dignity and integrity.
- Opines that jakc london was one of the most attractive, romantic figures of his time. he sympathized with his superheroes, yet saw no hope for their integration into society unless it was through heart-humbling love.
- Opines that jack london's the call of the wild was his first real success. it was a twisted play on the theory of evolution.
- Analyzes how london describes a pampereddomestic dog transformed into an arctic wolf on account of his environment and life style.
- Analyzes how london's unusual subject allows him to see virtues in return to an aboriginal state that could not be found if humans were the subject.
- Explains that jack london used ideas of philosophy that affected the world to inspire his writings, as well as his own experiences and the great adventures celebrated in the age of time.
2184 wordsRead More - The Life and Writings of Jack Londonanalytical essayIt appears that many famous people lived through a poor childhood. Jack London had an immensely rough childhood stricken with poverty and uncertainty, yet he is one of the most famous writers of the twentieth century. London’s lack of stability in his life and the various stages he lived through such as being a sailor, hobo, Klondike Argonaut, and self-made millionaire colored the pages of his writing.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that many famous people lived through a poor childhood. jack london had an immensely rough childhood stricken with poverty and uncertainty, yet he is one of the most famous writers of twentieth century.
- Explains that london was an illegitimate child of astrologer and welsh farm girl. london's mother, flora wellman, was stricken with typhoid.
- Explains that jack london filled each position at least once in his life.
- Analyzes how jack london felt a need for adventure during the klondike gold rush in 1897. without his knowledge, he wouldn't have been able to write his most famous novel, the call of the wild.
- Analyzes how jack london's adventures as a sailor to the klondike argonaut provided him with topics on which he could give first-hand accounts.
861 wordsRead More - Jack London Essayopinion essayJack London: A Life Full of Experiences Jack London, a god gifted writer, uses all of his imagination and experiences to write out the novels Call of The Wild and White Fang. London had trouble growing up due to bad parenting. Due to the challenges in his life he had to explore the world. He used his experiences that he got from the wild to write his novels. London, having been active himself in nature, describes the dangers he faced in Alaska such as, Famine and death, in the novels Call of The Wild and White Fang.
In this essay, the author
- Opines that the wolves also faced, what i would like.
- Opines that only wolves had to deal with the wild and its problem, and they had also dealt with it.
- Narrates how one day while surfing in the sea, he got a heart attach.
- Explains that he had to write short stories to make a living.
- Explains that in call of the wild, the main character is a husky dog, and in white fang, they are gray cubs. wolves were used to pull on to sleds in the gold rush in alaska.
- Opines that in wild life's are at risk as london stated in the white fang, "it is not the way of the wild to like movement.
1051 wordsRead More - Love Portrayal of Jack Londonanalytical essayLove Portrayal Of Jack London Throughout the novel The Call of the Wild Buck is thrown into a vast amount of obstacles. Buck is a half Saint Bernard and Half Sheepdog who is stolen from a home in California. He was then sold as a sled dog in the arctic where he would begin his adventure. Buck undergoes many challenges that can be related to human beings.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how jack london portrays love and death as bitter, sweet, and deadly in the call of the wild.
- Analyzes how buck is thrown into a brutal world where he fights to survive. after his friend curly was killed, buck vows not to have the same fate.
- Analyzes how the harsh environment creates a sense of survival of the fittest. buck fights and kills spitz, the dominant primordial beast.
- Analyzes how life in the call of the wild is a survival built on the death of other living creatures.
- Analyzes how buck falls in love with john thornton and stays with him. the portrayal of how sweet love can be is presented.
- Analyzes how brutal characters are punished in the call of the wild. buck's brutality is presented as a mere retaliation except for his hunting episodes.
- Analyzes how thornton gives a great amount of freedom to buck, which allows him to fall in love with the wild.
- Analyzes how buck would have saved thornton if he had renounced his primal side and stayed with him, as evidenced by his subsequent dealings with the yeehats.
- Analyzes how buck's love for thornton forces him into dangerous situations, portraying love being deadly.
- Analyzes how love and death are portrayed in different scenarios through buck's journeys in the call of the wild.
- Cites london, jack, the call of the wild, and other stories.
- Explains mann, john s., "the theme of the double in the call of the wild." the markham review 8 (fall 1978): 1-5.
847 wordsRead More - Analysis Of Jack London's Call Of The Wildanalytical essayLondon implements his new view of life—“human beings are one and the same despite their class, creed, nationality or social status or colour of the skin and they differ only by their deeds”5—in his writings. “[London shows] his [view] in his novel 'Call of the Wild '. The protagonist of the novel is a dog-named Buck. The dog serves the master throughout its life and when there is no space among men, it goes back to its ancestors, wolfs.”6 Buck represents humanity in the novel. Buck’s deed is serving his master, but at the end of the day, Buck returns to his fellow beings, wolfs. These socialist undertones of uniformity in The Call of the Wild are the direct cause for its censorship in Nazi Germany, Italy, Yugoslavia, and the Soviet
In this essay, the author
- Explains that jack london's classic novel, call of the wild, has been subject to censorship attempts in nazi germany, italy, yugoslavia, and the soviet union.
- Describes how jack london, "the boy socialist of oakland," came to be socialist through the different places life took him. london’s journey to socialism starts with a harsh lifestyle.
- Narrates how he encountered former labor activists who talked to him about socialism and saw that the severe problems besetting the country required a collective response.
- Narrates how he obtained a copy of marx and engels' seminal 1847 document the communist manifesto. he joined oakland's socialist labor party but gravitated to the trade union movement.
- Analyzes how london implements his new view of life in his novel 'call of the wild'. the socialist undertones of uniformity in the novel are the direct cause for its censorship.
- Explains that the nazis in germany were trying to destroy anything that did not fit with their view of what it meant to be german.
- Explains that the nazis and german students targeted jack london's novel in the 1930s because he was seen as a "social critic".
- Explains that italy in 1929 was moving in a direction of transforming itself into what mussolini thought was better image.
- Analyzes how the censorship of jack london's "the call of the wild" was because it expressed a theme of uniformity.
- Analyzes how the soviet union censored london's novel for control. the purpose was similar to hitler’s intentions.
- Explains that jack london's novel has been the target of censorship for its violent portrayals and for london’s socialist sympathies. violence is something that parents shelter their kids away from, and the uniformity of humankind is an idea that abusive and persecuting leaders try to keep from their people.
1100 wordsRead More - Happiness In The Call Of The Wildanalytical essayBuck has left the Santa Clara Valley; his bubble where he felt no love or mutual friendship. Buck is experiencing love for the first time, while experiencing the call and joy of the wild for the first time; and couldn't be happier. An example of this is when it is described that “Sometimes he thought of Judge Miller’s big house in the sun-kissed Santa Clara Valley, and of the cement swimming-tank, and Ysabel, the Mexican hairless, and Toots, the Japanese pug; but oftener he remembered the man in the red sweater, the death of Curly, the great fight with Spitz, and the good things he had eaten or would like to eat.” (54). This quote gives proof to how Buck doesn't want that life anymore; he is happier in the Yukon with John Thornton in the wild then he ever was with Judge or his family, all while getting to be part of the wild life that he so desires. He has love now. John Thornton drives Buck into this crazy frenzy of love and joy that makes it so that Buck doesn't even give the Santa Clara Valley a second thought. The final reflection of Buck’s newfound happiness is when London says that, “Deep in the forest a call was sounding, and as often as he heard this call, mysteriously thrilling and luring, he felt compelled to turn his back upon the fire and the beaten earth around it, the call sounding imperiously, deep in the forest. But as often as he gained the soft unbroken earth and
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how jack london describes buck's life as a lavish, loving, and just overall great life, but the closer you look into detail, you can come to the conclusion that buck is not truly happy.
- Analyzes how buck is experiencing love for the first time, while experiencing the call and joy of the wild, and couldn't be happier.
720 wordsRead More - What Is Jack London Essayanalytical essayJack London was a brilliant well-known author of fictional adventure, Darwinian determinism, socialism, and mysticism. He was an avid writer of novels but he did write a few short stories and journals. London was an American naturalist whose writings were influenced by his personal experiences and also by the teachings of Charles Darwin, Karl Marx and Friedrich Nietzsche.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how critics and commentators interpreted the call of the wild as an allegory of human nature, well-written escapist literature, and as london's symbolic auto-biography.
- Explains that jack's poverty led him to embrace socialism, which he stuck to the rest of his life. london purchased ideas from stories from other writers of the time.
- Analyzes how jack london, a committed socialist, supported socialism, women's suffrage, and prohibition, but his ideas lacked precision and consistency.
- Describes jack london as an american naturalist whose writings were influenced by his personal experiences and the teachings of charles darwin, karl marx, and friedrich nietzsche.
- Describes jack london as an american naturalist whose writings were influenced by his personal experiences and the teachings of charles darwin, karl marx, and friedrich nietzsche.
868 wordsRead More - The Naturalistic Ideals of Jack Londonanalytical essayThe Naturalistic Ideals of Jack London As an adolescent, Jack London led an impoverished life and struggled to earn more money to support himself and his mother. In an attempt to find a small fortune, London joined the Klondike Gold Rush in 1897. Unfortunately, he returned home penniless. However, his adventures in the Yukon provided him the most epic experiences that guided him into writing some of his most famous, widely acclaimed literary works. His novels focus primarily on naturalism, a type of literature in which the characters are shaped by their environment through the practice of scientific principles.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how jack london's naturalistic portrayal of his characters explores the brutal truth of humans versus animals and the struggle for survival.
- Analyzes how jack london's use of an animal’s perspective allows readers to understand how the harsh landscapes of the klondike influenced the individual; this strategy exemplifies the naturalism evident in many of his works.
- Analyzes how london incorporates the darwinian belief of survival of the fittest in buck's difficult journey transforming him to the dominant alpha dog.
- Analyzes how jack london's "to build a fire" reveals the teamwork required from both the man and the dog in order to conquer the ruthlessly cold winter.
- Analyzes how london criticizes the man's helplessness in the face of the unknown and therefore requires the intuition of a dog to guide them.
- Analyzes how jack london's literary works resemble an accurate depiction of the rigid setting and reality of nature that reflects his own adventures in the yukon.
818 wordsRead More - Jack London Stories, The Red Oanalytical essayThe Red One Jack London was one of America’s greatest authors. His works were of tales from the unexplored savage lands of the Klondike to the cannibal infested Philippine Island chain of the vast Pacific, and even the far reaches of space and time. Jack London himself was a pioneer of the unexplored savage frontier. London wrote about this unknown frontier with a cunning sense of adventure and enthrallment. “He keeps the reader on tenterenters books by withholding facts in a way that makes him participate in the action'; (Charles Child Walcutt 16).
In this essay, the author
- Opines that jack london was one of america's greatest authors. his tales dealt with nature, the men and women who neglected the fact that they were mere mortals.
- Analyzes how jack london's tale of bassett, a collector of prized species, explores the cannibal-infested island of guadalcanal.
- Analyzes how london portrays the significance of bassett setting his eyes upon the red one.
- Analyzes how bassett realizes that he is looking upon a forgotten memory after his death, despite his almost fully paralyzed body.
684 wordsRead More