Martin Eden :: essays papers

Martin EdenJack London, prestigious author of Martin Eden writes his opinions intohis work. Aspects of different societies are prevalent throughout hiswork and the class struggle between different classes of characters isapparent in his writing. Although not an autobiography much of hiswriting can appear to include his person-to-person views on life. Martin Eden,the protagonist created by London begins as a petty seaman works hishis way to the upper class of order of magnitude. Through self-determination and self-cultivation he is able to become a member of the bourgeois. Writerswith styles similar to London in that they all write in the alike(p) stylein that shows the struggle of the poor and their climb to the upperclass only to see that it reveals a faux ideal. Alice Hoffman author ofHere On Earth appears to hold many of the same beliefs as Martin whichare seen throughout her novel.Martin Eden was forced to make his own living. Eden was nevergiven anything and had to work to g ain everything he wanted.Everyday struggles include finding the simple necessities offood and shelter. As a poor sailor, Eden looked around and sawthe ideals of the bourgeois. Through the eyes of Eden theBourgeois were the educated, wealthy, and were what Martindesired to become. He dreams of becoming educated and belongingto the upper class ultimately he finds one small connectionthat opens up a new world to the formerly struggling seaman.Although later disproved, his first impressions of this classwere seen from an outsiders view as perfect. Here wasintellectual life, he thought, and here was beauty, warm andwonderful as he had never dreamed it could be. (p. 40) Martincomes into contact with a family that introduces him to thisnew world. The Morse family was all Martin dreamed of, heviewed them, as them part of a perfect society and Ruth was thefocal point of it. Ruth was heavenly like a flower herculture and sophistication stimulated him.Introduction to this new class move Mar tin. The library, anew idea to him, becomes his new haven. Although he lacked boththe time and money necessary for a traditional educationbetween sailing he began his way to self-education. In thebeginning Martin was separated from Ruth because of their classdifference, but as this yearning for education developed he andRuth become involved. He wasnt of their tribe, and hecouldnt talk their lingo was the way he put it to himself. Hecouldnt fake being their kind. (p. 51) Although he wasnt natural any with any of these privileges he made it his business