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Jack London and The Call of the Wild

I'm hoping that by now, many of you have read this text, or at least started it. However, I do know there will be a few of you reading the cliff notes version before class begins. That's really too bad. I've told you I'm not a fan of Jack London's fiction; however, his own personal story is fascinating. His father was the leader of a cult that didn't want him born, even beating up his mother and telling her to have an abortion. His mother ran away from a 17-room mansion and battled mental illness the rest of her life. She even tried to swallow a bunch of pills in an effort to abort Jack, and when that didn't work, she cast him aside to be raised by a freed slave. He was a staunch socialist, but also a racist. He didn't have his first toothbrush until he was 19, and by then, he had suffered severe decay and tooth loss.




Over the break, you are to each prepare for your literary circle. Make it a good one. If you'd like to read some more about Jack London, I'm linking an article. However, it is from Slate, so it contains provocative language, is very blunt, and some will find it offensive. It is not required for class, but for those of you that like to know more than the little blurbs you'll find on Wikipedia, it's well-done in its scathing review of London's dark side. I'd give it a PG-13 rating if that's important in your house. And it's a good reminder that sometimes our greatest stories aren't the ones penned in the novels, but within the lives of those holding the pen.


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