Martin Eden By Jack London

Copyright (c) 2012 Morgan D

Literature is an art that is used to express various views of individuals and the societies that they represent. Using various styles, authors have been able to express thoughts, emotions and views that affect them in their day-to-day life. Literature can thus be used as a mode of creating awareness to a specific target group, a medium of entertainment and a source of education. In his book, Martin Eden, Jack London used the art of symbolism to represent his personal life. Although the character that represented him did not have his exact characteristics, a lot of symbolis were portrayed between them. It is due to this fact that many analysts suggests that the book represents London's autobiography. In this respect therefore, the aim of this essay is to critically analyze the book and determine whether it was indeed London's autobiography.

The book, Martin Eden, contains a number of characters and figures. Martin Eden is the main character of the book. Eden is a young man who comes from humble backgrounds. He was born and raised in a working class family. Despite the background that he has, Eden strives to advance his education by becoming a writer so that he can change his social status and become wealthy. Additionally, he is seeking wealth and social status so that he can win the heart of his lover, Ruth Morse, who comes from a bourgeois background.

London was also born in a low class family. His father was a war veteran who sustained injuries while at war while his mother was a music teacher. To earn a living and sustain himself, London engaged in manual jobs that offered him a low income. Consequently, these factors give him the urge to change the status of his life so that he can achieve a high social class that is full of wealth and fortune. In the process of trying to earn a living, London became a sailor and went to several voyages where he met with individuals from different cultures and backgrounds. It is here that he adopted the theory of communism. When he came home from his voyages, London tried to express his political views to masses. In the process, he vied for the seat of mayor severally on a socialist ticket although he never won.

In the book, Eden had a different political ideology from that of London. Instead of being a socialist, Eden embraced individualism. Eden also came from a background of a working society. The members of his society worked hard under poor working conditions,and in the end the pay did not reflect their effort. However, instead to striving to improve the overall status of the society, Eden wanted to achieve his own personal dream where he would move from the lower class to the upper class and enjoy his fame and fortune. It is due to his individualism approach to life that led to his death in the end. London stated that, finally Eden saw his quest as a failure, this is not because he failed to succeed as an individual but it is due to the fact he did not have trust in society and once he realized this, he could not take it hence he committed suicide (London 389).

In the course of trying to achieve his dreams, Eden went to further his education by becoming a writer. In the process, he wrote a number of works that were rejected by publishing companies. This made him believe that it was not humans who were working in these publishing companies but machines that were sending rejection letters to upcoming writers. This encounter translates directly to London's early life when he aspired to be a writer. During this time, most of his works were returned back by publishers. Additionally, Eden works in a laundry. This also made him feel that he was also a bigger machine. This directly translates to the early jobs that London held before the boom of his career. London was an industrial worker. The working conditions in these industries transform the effort of a human being to that of a machine since it only relies on efficiency and output (Cain 10).

In the process of furthering his education, Eden fell in love with Ruth Morse and the two were engaged for two years. Morse came from a bourgeois background. Therefore, for Eden to get a hand in marriage with her, he had to attain a high level of education and be a successful individual of the upper class of the society. However, as a result of his frustrating career, Morse broke up with him. In the book, Morse represents Mabel Applegarth, the first woman that London fell in love with (Cain 12). On the other hand, Eden looks down upon Lizzy Connolly because she has rough hands. However, he gives her credit for her love and loyalty. In this context, Connolly is a representation of London's first wife, Bess Maddern who had a working class background. However, the two divorced after London cheated on her.

As his education progressed, the distance between Eden and the social class widens. He soon realised that his education is much higher than that of the bourgeois. This revelation brings up mental unrest in him. Eden thus donated his wealth to his friends and family from the working class sets off on a voyage where he ultimately drowns himself and dies. London was at his peak after he published White Flag and Sea Wolf. Instead of enjoying his wealth, London detached himself from society and sailed the South Pacific (Cain 14). While battling with illness and fatigue, London wrote Martin Eden. London died as a result of morphine overdose which many people speculate that it may have been deliberate hence coinciding with Eden's suicide.

Personally, I believe that Martin Eden is one of the best fictional books that have ever been written. The book directly relates to the life of its author, Jack London. It uses symbolism to depict his life, his society and the encounters that he had. The character of Martin Eden is a shadow of Jack London. As a result of the high similarities between the characters and encounters of these two, it will be true to conclude that the book, Martin Eden has elements of Jack London's autobiography

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