Jack London led a life beginning and ending with suffering and tragedy. His writing career encases an array of
stories and concepts that were both entertaining and controversial to the
reading public in the early 1900’s.
Those readers were influenced so greatly by his writings that he is now
known as one of the most extraordinary contributors to the world of American
Literature.
His life started in a most cursed way, from the hells of
abuse, rejection, and suicide.
His run away teen mother became pregnant with Jack as a result of rape
by a religious cult leader who beat her and demanded that she abort Jack. After attempting suicide by a drug overdose
and a jammed pistol that refused to spill her blood, Jack was born into the
slums of San Francisco in 1876. His
mother wanted nothing to do with Jack, and handed him over to a black wet nurse
who he called Mammy. His life starts
with dead end jobs but after he hits rock bottom, he began to give political
speeches on street corners that eventually became his claim to fame. His socialistic opinions and radical attitude
had him locked up more than once, but through his writing, he was able to
express all of his racist and dramatic thoughts and concerns about the status
of his world.
His vile and extreme stories were a shock to the
public. He was wrapped up in all of the
politics and darkness that our country is made up of, he wound say. Eventually, the reality of the position he
had put him in hit him, and before long he was a 40 year old drunk. His failing body drove him into drug and
alcohol abuse, and that concoction is what drove the bullet that had waited 40
years to hit, when Jack died from a planned and recorded drug overdose.
Jack's ideals have expanded countless minds in America, then
and now. His naturalistic writing style
was received by thousands of people who thought he was either a sad and lonely
racist, or was a brilliant literary artist.
Never the less, his stories that influenced so many to write like him or
to think like him were stepping-stones into a world of literary
expression. Was it not for Jack, would
other American writers have the courage to go out on a limb and reach for their
success?
Work Cited
Hartzell, David. “The World of Jack London.” A Short Jack London Biography. Apr.
2008. Web. Nov. 4, 2012. <http://www.jacklondons.net/shortbio.html>
Hari, Johann. “Jack London’s Dark Side.” Slate. Aug. 15, 2010. Web.
Stasz, Clarice. “Jack [John Griffith] London.” Jack London.
Aug. 19, 2001. Web. Nov. 4, 2012. <http://london.sonoma.edu/jackbio.html>
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