The Life and Writings of Jack London Essay - 860 Words

It 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. Lack of stability in a child’s life can be a detrimental factor in a youth’s ability to succeed. London was an illegitimate child of an astrologer and Welsh farm girl (Jack London Encyclopedia of World Biography). Unfortunately, when London’s birth father received word of London’s conception, he fled. London’s mother, Flora Wellman, was†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"I always could read and write, and have no recollection antedating such a condition. Folks say that I simply insisted upon being taught† London once recalled (London). In addition to living in extreme poverty, London’s family also moved quite frequently. Daunting financial problems affected him his whole life. One of the most significant factors in London’s development was his conscious rejection of the occult, the supernatural, and the mystical- all of which he associated with his mother’s cold spirituality (Jack London). His childhood provided many top ics which London could give first hand accounts on. He could write accurately about growing up without ‘T.L.C.’, growing up in poverty and loneliness in childhood. Sailors, hobos, Klondike Argonauts, social crusaders, war correspondents, scientific farmers, self-made millionaires, global travelers and adventurers. What do these diverse traits all have in common? Well, Jack London filled each position at least once in his life. London’s childhood consisted of great amounts of toil. So why would anyone be surprised that he ran off and took a job that is physically tough? At the youthful age of seventeen, London took a daunting position on a seal ship where he sailed to Japan and the Bearing Sea. Further more, he picked up the job of oyster pirating but quickly reconsidered since a majority of his comrades were being caughtShow MoreRelatedEssay on Jack London: A Biography721 Words   |  3 PagesJack London: A Biography      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   John Griffith London, better known to us as Jack London, was born to Flora Wellman January 12, 1876, in San Francisco. (Ranch Album)   His father was presumably W.H. Chaney, who left Flora after finding out she was pregnant. (Stasz, 9)   Flora met and eventually married John London on September 7, 1876 bringing Johns two other children, Ida and Eliza, into the family. (Ranch Album) Flora enlisted the help of a wet nurse and, with the help her and Eliza,Read MoreJack London and His Call of the Wild1150 Words   |  5 Pagesof the parts of his nature that were deeper than he, going back into the womb of Time. - Jack London, The Call of the Wild, Ch. 3 (Jack London Quotes). This quote summarizes the success of Jack London’s writing career in one simple sentence. London’s success and inspiration for his naturalist style can be accredited to the way in which he was raised, and his experiences during his lifetime. Jack London, was born John Griffith Chaney on January 12, 1876 near San Francisco, California. His motherRead MoreAnalysis Of Jack London s The Call Of The Wild 1306 Words   |  6 PagesHave people ever thought about writing style? Or about different literary movements? There are many different kinds of writing styles, along with many different literary movements. Authors choose the writing style they want, and whether or not to be in a movement. Jack London was one of these authors. He chose to be a part of the naturalism movement. Naturalism is a literary movement with the belief that humans and animals being shaped by their environment. He then chose to use indirect discourseRead MoreJack London : The Cinderella Man Of Literature1186 Words   |  5 PagesI shall use my time,† Jack London was a novelist, journalist, and social activist; he is also recognized as a remarkable American author who gave his readers a different type of experience in literature during his time and layed down a foundation for other authors to pursue.. Although Jack London had a traumatic upbringing, his efforts in writing earned him numerous appraisals, and made a humongous influence on American literature. Jack London had a very comprehensive life filled with numerous experiencesRead MoreThe Sea Wolf by Jack London1219 Words   |  5 Pages 1 The Themes of â€Å"The Sea Wolf† The Sea Wolf by Jack London can often be seen as a controversial book. It mentions several highly disputed topics such as: morals, religion, and death. Throughout his life the aim and strategy that he used for his books often reflected his past life experiences. His once hard life enabled him to gather extraordinary details into his books that authors were often not privileged to use. The characters one encounters through the various novels, and especially â€Å"TheRead MoreJack London Biography1301 Words   |  6 PagesJack London : Biography         You cant wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club (BrainyQuote). This is one of Jack Londons more well known quotes. Jack London was born as John Griffith Chaney  on January 12, 1876, in San Francisco(Jack London). His mother was Flora Wellman and his father was suspected to be astrologer William H. Chaney, who denied his paternity and abandoned Londons mother(Wilson). London was suckled, or nursed, by an ex-slave named Virginia Prentiss, whoRead MoreInto the Wild: an Analysis of Who Jack Londonwas to Chris Mccandless1113 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"Jack London is King† this was carved in to a block of wood found at the bus where Chris McCandless’s body was found. Chris McCandless admired Jack London as a man and a writer. Chris went into the wild’s of Alaska to prove that he could live off the land, with no modern conveniences, and no human contact. Jack London wrote stories about men and animals experiences against the environme nt, and survival against hardships, which were written from his own life. His works included individualism and theRead MoreCall Of The Wild By Jack London1448 Words   |  6 PagesWild is a novella written by Jack London that is ironic about life and the way we look at it. We look at life as humans and other things are just living in our world, that nothing else has a say in the world because we do not speak the same languages. Example of this is how we â€Å"own† dogs, cats, horses, etc; we do not â€Å"own† them, they are their own being with goals of their own. We may not be able to understand what they are saying or what they are thinking, but as London explains throughout his novellaRead MoreJack London : An Oyster Pirate1204 Words   |  5 PagesJack London was born in 1876, and died in 1916. He was born in San Francisco, California, and was the son of Flora Wellman Chaney. When he was a child, he would sometimes living with the Prentisses. Mr. and Mrs. Prentis ses were African Americans who served as London’s surrogate parents. When Jack turned 15, he sailed the San Francisco Bay as an oyster pirate. During his time on the water, London developed an alcohol problem, which would eventually become alcoholism. In 1894, London was arrested asRead MoreMartin Eden by Jack London825 Words   |  4 PagesJack London is among the many prolific writers from the United States of America who possess great artistic works ranging from great time novels ,short stories to plays just but to mention a few. He is fondly remembered for his great novel, ‘Martin Eden’ published in 1909. In the novel he tries to express the challenges faced by young writers who try to exploit their talent and passion in an area where little opportunities present themselves. This novel has stood the test of time with its relevance