Martin Eden

The novel begins with Martin Eden a self-educated and ambitious young man rescuing Arthur Morse a young man from a wealthy family from a brawl. In gratitude Morse invites Martin into his bourgeois social circle where Martin meets Ruth Morse Arthurs sister. Martin becomes infatuated with Ruth who belongs to a higher social class and is well-educated. Driven by his love for Ruth and his desire to prove himself Martin dedicates himself to self-improvement and begins an arduous journey of educating himself in literature philosophy and culture. He spends countless hours in libraries reading voraciously and writing passionately. Despite Martins dedication to his craft he faces numerous rejections and struggles to find success as a writer. He encounters the snobbery and elitism of the literary world which presents a stark contrast to his working-class roots. Martin becomes disillusioned with the commercialism and superficiality of the publishing industry and questions the value of his own work. As Martins literary ambitions grow the gap between him and Ruth widens. Ruths bourgeois family disapproves of Martins social standing and his unconventional individualistic beliefs. Martin becomes increasingly isolated and struggles with feelings of alienation. Throughout the novel London explores themes of class struggle the pursuit of individualism and the conflict between artistic integrity and commercial success. Martin Eden serves as a representation of London himself as the novel draws heavily from the authors own experiences as a self-taught writer.