|
Martin Eden, the autobiographical novel of famous writer, naturalist Jack London, is one of the greatest realistic novels of late 19th century, which reflects the social and cultural scene in US at that time. It, for the most part, depicts the inner stress of individualism and American Dream, as London experienced them during his own rise from poverty to wealth and fame. Eden, an impoverished but intelligent, vigorous, hard-working sailor and laborers, struggles to become a writer through determination and self-education, in order to ascend in class status with a high-class late 19th century San Francisco family, and to win the love of leading role, Ruth. He is enamored with the ease with which they debate social politics and wants to attain what he first sees as their level of intelligence. To enrich his poor knowledge of these subjects, he becomes an arduous reader of everything that he could get his hands on. In the quest to be an intellectual equal, he surpasses them and he painfully realizes that they are so hypocritical and snobbery. They accept him merely for his money and fame, not for his works. Ruth does not love him for what he is, for his capabilities, but for his money either. |
目录