pchelayulia 1 | 1
Dec 28, 2012 | #1
The Elements of Autobiography
Introduction
Jack London is considered to be one of America`s best novelists. His literary works are inexhaustible source of inspiration for millions of readers all over the world. London is the connoisseur of human psychology, and all his characters undergo amazing personal transformations. Martin Eden (1909), one of Jack London`s most famous novels, is not an exception from this rule. In it, one can trace evolution of the main character: from his life in backyards of the working-class neighborhoods to the young man`s gross popularity in social events. Martin Eden is the hymn to human will, self-perfection, and reasonable obstinacy. Though London himself does not give such information, some literary critics believe that Martin Eden is a novel that contains autobiographical elements. The following paper traces and analyzes autobiographical elements that Jack London uses in the novel through the prism of his official biography.
The Reflection of London`s Background through the Life Story of Martin Eden
JFor the first time, the reader meets with Martin Eden, the main hero of the novel, when he comes to the place of Ruth Morse. One can notice that Martin is a shabbily dressed man with awkward manners. London describes Eden using the following words: "He wore rough clothes that smacked of the sea, and he was manifestly out of place in the spacious hall in which he found himself" (1). Indeed, the young man`s look and manners do not comply with sophisticated atmosphere of the place. Later, one learns about Eden`s background. He is a former sailor who comes from the poor family. As every ambitious young man, he wants to declare himself, but he does not know how to do this.Like his character, Jack London comes from the working-class family. His father Marshall Wellman, one of the first settlers in the Massachusetts Bay Colony (Wellman, 1918), was a builder. Though Wellman was a down to earth man, London`s mother Flora was a well-educated woman who paid close attention to spiritual development of her children. Probably, it was his mother who woke up in the future novelist the carving for new knowledge and passionate desire for self-improvement.
So, both Eden and London have similar background. Both men were born in poor families; however, they chose the life that differs significantly from the life of the members of their class. They believe that self-education and continuous self-development is the most efficient means to escape from constant need and vegetating. Both men seek to realize themselves in the literary field.
The Writer`s Path of London and Eden
Though, the motivation of London and Eden differs significantly, the final aim of their long road of self-perfection is similar. Both men believe that their literary vocation is to erase the borders between the classes, while proclaiming the greatness of the working people. While gradually climbing the notorious social ladder, Martin Eden does his best to help his peers whose poverty and misery put them in subordinate position. Like his main character, London is known as an outspoken opponent of class oppression and an active participant in the struggle for equality. The words "Yours for the Revolution" that London used to close all his letters (Labor, 1994) perfectly illustrate this idea.
The Price of Success
Both the life of Martin Eden and the life of Jack London end tragically. The men died in the prime of their life, at the peak of their writing career, professional, and personal achievements. Eden`s love for Ruth Morse was not meant to become a happy story. At the beginning of the novel, the young man thinks that his writing career and subsequent strong financial position are the trump cards that can help him win the good attitude of the young lady. It took him much effort to become well-known and prosperous writer. Unfortunately, Ruth Morse is tired and does not want to spend all her youth waiting. She tells this to Martin, and her words break the young man`s heart. Martin Eden commits a suicide, and this is the price of his success.
Unlike his hero, Jack London dies in his bed in the Winery Cottage. Though all his biographers are unanimous about the fact that the writer`s death is the result of the overdose of morphine, they still argue if it was accidental or not. Nowadays, it is impossible to find the truth, but there is a striking similarity between the destinies of both men. The life of Jack London and the life of his hero Martin Eden are a bright illustration of the idea that success does not come alone, but is accompanied with the heartache and distress.
Conclusion
Despite the tragic end of the life of both men, one cannot say that was the story of personal failure. It is true that both men sacrificed the measured life with their loved ones. Indeed, the becoming of both men is associated with physical and emotional pain. Probably, the price that they paid for their dream was very high, but all their efforts did not come in vain. Though London and Eden could not become happy themselves, they were able to bring happiness to the people around them. Their lives became the source of inspiration for thousands of young people who seek self-perfection and life in a free and harmonious society; and this is, probably, the most important similarity between London and Eden.
Works Cited
Labor, Earle. The Portable Jack London, New York: Viking Penguin, 1994. Print
London, J. Martin Eden, United States: Macmillan and Company, 1909. Print
Wellman, J. Descendants of Thomas Wellman, Boston: Arthur Holbrook Wellman, 1918. Print