1. The Author :
Jack London (really John Griffith) was born 1876 in San Fransisco and is believed to have been the illegitimate son of William Henry Chaney, an astrologer. Flora Wellman, his mother, married John London soon after Jack′s birth. He grew up on the waterfront of Oakland and his schooling was intermittent. Much of his youth was spent on the wrong side of the law. Among other things he was an oyster pirate, and he also spent a month in prison for vagrancy. At the age of 17 he signed on a sailing ship which took him to the Arctic and Japan. Despite his lack of formal education he also became a voracios reader, especially of fiction, as he reported in his autobiographical novel, Martin Eden (1909).
In 1896 he joined the gold rush to the Klondike, where he found no gold but gathered ample material for the brutal, vigorous life he portrayed in The Call of the Wild (1903) and White Fang (1906), novels of man and beast struggeling against the overwhelming forces of nature.
From Social Darwinism London had absorbed the idea that to survive, man must adapt to irresistible natural forces. Although his writing is often described as an example of literary naturalism, London was most deeply influenced by the seemingly irreconcilable opposites of Nietzsche and Marx. From Nietzsche he borrowed the idea of the super human, evident in its most destructive form in Wolf Larsen, the predatory hero of London′s The Sea Wolf (1904). From Marx he took the idea of the need for social reform and of the power of economic determinism, concepts he embodied in his socialistic treatises, The war of the Classes (1905) and The Human Drift (1907), and in his terrifying vision of the coming of totalitarianism, The Iron Heel (1907).
From 1900 to 1916 London wrote more than fifty books, earning a million dollars, which he spent quickly and easily as he earned it, in a frantic search for contentment. But London found gratification neither in his writing nor in his personal life, and his last years were marked by struggles with alcoholism and mental disintegration. He died, probably by his own hand, when he was forty.1
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1 All biographical data taken directly from Salzman, Jack (edit.)."The Cambridge Handbook of American Literature". Cambridge : University Press, 1986. And from McMichael, George (edit.) et al. "The Anthology of American Literature Volume II." New York, London : 1980
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- The Author
- The Short Story The Law of Life
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This report analyzes Jack London's short story "The Law of Life," focusing on its portrayal of death and the acceptance of natural forces. It examines the narrative techniques employed and the thematic resonance with Darwinian and other philosophical ideas.
- The inevitability of death
- The conflict between individual life and the continuation of the species
- The portrayal of nature's indifference to individual suffering
- Narrative techniques and point of view
- The influence of Darwinism and other philosophical ideas
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
The Author: This section provides biographical information on Jack London, highlighting his adventurous life, varied experiences (including time spent in the Klondike gold rush and at sea), and his voracious reading habit which influenced his writing. It also touches upon his conflicting influences from Nietzsche and Marx, reflected in his works ranging from tales of survival against nature to socialist treatises. The section emphasizes the prolific nature of his writing career and his ultimate struggles with alcoholism and mental health before his death.
The Short Story The Law of Life: This chapter delves into a detailed analysis of Jack London's "The Law of Life," focusing on its narrative style and themes. The story centers on Old Koskoosh, an elderly Native American abandoned by his tribe to face death. The analysis examines London's use of free indirect discourse, immersing the reader in Koskoosh's perspective as he confronts his mortality. The chapter explores the brutal yet seemingly natural act of abandoning the elderly in the face of survival. London's thematic exploration of the conflict between individual life and the continuation of the species is a focal point, drawing parallels to Darwin's theory of natural selection. The chapter highlights how Koskoosh's struggle with death reflects a broader acceptance of nature's indifference to individual fate, underscoring the "law of life" as an inevitable process of survival and death within the natural order. The chapter also analyzes Koskoosh's internal struggle between acceptance and the lingering desire to live, showcasing his efforts to cling to life even as his demise approaches. The author's use of imagery and symbolism, such as the dwindling fire and Koskoosh's comparison to a dying leaf, emphasize the gradual nature of death's encroachment.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
Death, naturalism, Darwinism, survival of the fittest, natural selection, individual vs. species, free indirect discourse, narrative perspective, Jack London, The Law of Life, Old Koskoosh.
Jack London's "The Law of Life": A Comprehensive Analysis - FAQ
What is the purpose of this document?
This document provides a comprehensive preview of an academic analysis of Jack London's short story, "The Law of Life." It includes a table of contents, objectives, key themes, chapter summaries, and keywords.
What are the key themes explored in "The Law of Life"?
The analysis focuses on the inevitability of death, the conflict between individual life and the species' survival, nature's indifference to individual suffering, and the influence of Darwinian and other philosophical ideas.
What aspects of the narrative techniques are examined?
The analysis examines London's use of free indirect discourse and its effect on the reader's immersion in Koskoosh's perspective. It also explores the narrative point of view and how it contributes to the overall themes.
What is the role of Darwinism in the story?
The analysis draws parallels between the story's themes and Darwin's theory of natural selection, specifically highlighting the "survival of the fittest" aspect and how it relates to the abandonment of Old Koskoosh.
What is covered in the chapter summarizing the author, Jack London?
This section provides biographical information on Jack London, emphasizing his adventurous life, varied experiences, reading habits, and conflicting influences from Nietzsche and Marx. It also discusses his prolific writing career and his struggles with alcoholism and mental health.
What is the summary of the chapter analyzing "The Law of Life"?
This chapter details the narrative style and themes of "The Law of Life," focusing on Old Koskoosh's abandonment and his confrontation with death. The analysis explores London's use of imagery and symbolism to depict the gradual approach of death and Koskoosh's internal struggle between acceptance and the desire to live. The conflict between individual life and the continuation of the species is a central focus.
What are the keywords associated with this analysis?
Keywords include: Death, naturalism, Darwinism, survival of the fittest, natural selection, individual vs. species, free indirect discourse, narrative perspective, Jack London, The Law of Life, Old Koskoosh.
What is the overall approach of the analysis?
The analysis takes a structured and professional approach, aiming to analyze the themes of Jack London's "The Law of Life" in a scholarly manner.
Who is the intended audience for this analysis?
The analysis is intended for academic use, supporting structured and professional thematic analysis.
Where can I find the complete analysis?
This document is a preview; the complete analysis is not included here.
- Quote paper
- Didem Oktay (Author), 1995, Death in Jack London's 'The Law of Life', Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/4302
