Martin Eden by Jack London is an autobiographical novel that chronicles the life of an ambitious young sailor from Oakland, California. Through his story, London explores themes of social class and how a person’s past shapes their future.
Martin Eden is born and raised in a working-class family. He is dissatisfied with his mundane life and longs for success. He ambitiously pursues higher education and begins to read books that expand his knowledge and develop new skills. His passionate pursuit of self-improvement is interrupted by his early courtship with a girl named Ruth, whom he immediately falls in love with.
Martin soon discovers that Ruth is from a high-class family, a stark contrast to his own humble origins. This revelation leads to a series of conflicts between the two involving Martin's family and the wealthy family of Ruth's. While Ruth is supportive of Martin’s endeavors, her family is not and Martin is met with rejection, both in his attempts to land a job as a writer and to marry Ruth.
Eventually Martin’s persistence pays off as he begins to publish multiple stories and is able to gain success. Although his newfound success brings him wealth and a promising future, it is marred by loneliness, discontentment and bitterness. Martin struggles to reconcile his newfound success to his past life and his ambitions take a dark turn.
The novel concludes with a powerful climax as Martin’s inner turmoil reaches a head and he is driven to the brink of sanity. The climax culminates in Martin leaping into the sea, his ultimate escape from the world.
At its core, Martin Eden is a story about an individual’s struggle against the odds to achieve success and the struggles of growing up in the working class. Through his story, London expresses his beliefs on how an individual's past can shape their future, how social class can impede personal growth, and ultimately how an individual's ambition and passion can help them overcome any obstacle.
