Martin Eden

The semiautobiographical Martin Eden is the most vital and original character Jack London ever created. Set in San Francisco this is the story of Martin Eden an impoverished seaman who pursues obsessively and aggressively dreams of education and literary fame. London dissatisfied with the rewards of his own success intended Martin Eden as an attack on individualism and a criticism of ambition; however much of its status as a classic has been conferred by admirers of its ambitious protagonist. Andrew Sinclair's wide-ranging introduction discusses the conflict between London's support of socialism and his powerful self-will. Sinclair also explores the parallels and divergences between the life of Martin Eden and that of his creator focusing on London's mental depressions and how they affected his depiction of Eden.