Sea Wolf

[JaeSon5]

1890’s Bestseller Project Jae Lee
February 5, 2002
Period 6/7

Independent Reading: The Sea-Wolf by Jack London from Tales of the North

Summary
Humphrey Van Weyden, an affluent literary critic, while crossing the San Francisco Bay on a ferryboat is thrown overboard in a shipwreck caused by fog. He drifts out to sea until he is picked up by the Ghost, a sealing and Pacific-bound schooner under the command of Captain “Wolf” Larsen. Because the captain is short one crewmember, he refuses Van Weyden’s request to return to land and forces upon him the duty of cabin boy. Humphrey quickly learns that the captain is a both a brutish and erudite man and frequently holds many intellectual discussions with him. After the passage of several months, Mr. Van Weyden, formerly a man of leisure transforms himself into a self-reliant person, while the crew, oppressed, becomes rebellious and vainly attempts to kill Larsen. The Ghost encounters a small boat with a handful of people and assimilates them into the crew, except for the one woman on board, Maud Brewster. She is a renowned writer whose literature has been previously reviewed by Humphrey, and they are able to recognize each other by name. When the captain is suffering from a severe headache, Humphrey and Maud quickly escape on one of the schooner’s small boats and unintentionally land on a small, uninhabited island, which they name Endeavor Island. Several days after their arrival, they spot the Ghost; Humphrey boards the ship and finds a deserted crew and as well as a blind and paralyzed Larsen who is suffering from a brain tumor. “Wolf” dies within a few days, and as the Ghost embarks on its journey home, Humphrey and Maud kiss and proclaim their love for each other.

Form and Genre
Jack London’s Sea Wolf was a novel written in narrative prose. It used ordinary language without metrical structure, and the main character gave an account of what had happened on the Ghost. Furthermore, it was an adventure and love-story narrative. Sea Wolf was mainly about Humphrey Van Weyden’s struggle to overcome Captain Larsen in order to survive and return home. And in fighting for that goal, he encounters Maud Brewster with whom he falls in love for the first time. In the end, he triumphs over the captain and wins the requited love of Mrs. Brewster.

Setting
Sea-Wolf occurred in the early 1900’s on the schooner, Ghost, on the Pacific Ocean, from San Francisco to Japan. The time period and place were crucial in the events that transpired. Had the events happened in a different time period, the technology would have considerably changed the development and outcome of the novel. For example, with the advanced technology of today, there are monitors on nearly everyone; a missing person would entail an investigation. However, in the 1900’s, on the Ghost, people basically killed each other without ramifications, for keeping tabs on people was very difficult. Moreover, the boat being in the middle of the ocean was essential for development because it, for the most part, kept all the characters in close quarters that they could not escape. As Mr. Van Weyden described it, it was a “floating world”

Characterization
Humphrey Van Weyden -
Upon his arrival on the Ghost, he was a civilized and wealthy man who had all his possessions bequeathed to him by his parents. He did not know what it was like to do hard labor or take care of himself. Wolf sought to transform him, and transform he did. After several months on the schooner, he was able to grow strong, defend himself, be knowledgeable with the ship’s components, and become first mate. However, during this transformation of lifestyle, Hump proves on various occasions that he maintained his personality and his morality. On the Ghost, a place not particularly conducive for romance, he managed to fall in love with Maud Brewster. When he had the chance to kill the unarmed Captain, he could not. Hump underwent many changes, however, his morality remained constant.


Hump, you can’t do it. You are not exactly afraid: you are impotent. Your conventional morality is stronger than you. You are a slave to the opinions which you have credence among the people you have known and the people you have read about. Their code has been drummed into your head from the time you lisped, and in spite of your philosophy, and of what I had taught you, it won’t let you kill an unarmed, unresisting man.(306)


“Wolf” Larsen –
Larsen is the ruthless and brutal captain of the “Ghost.” He has a massive size and uses it to assert his dominance. However, beneath his beastly veneer, he is also a brilliant, self-educated man. He argues that human life is of no value and compares it to fermenting yeast, where the yeast strives to get bigger and stronger by consuming smaller pieces and the lucky consume the most and live the longest. Not being true to one’s self interests to him is considered sin. When asked about altruism, he does not know the meaning of the word.


Tone
Because the narrator is a literary critic, he can articulate very well. He uses very sophisticated diction to eloquently explain his emotions and opinions. For example, the ideas presented in discussions with Wolf Larsen can be easily understood. In addition, his descriptions are kept alive and vivid with elaborate comparisons. He does an excellent job at allowing the reader to understand the mood of the scene.


Narrative Structure/ Point of View
Sea-Wolf was written in first person narrative. Humphrey Van Heyden, the main character gave an account of the events.




Theme
Nineteenth century German philosopher Friedrich Niezsche in his book Thus Spoke Zarathusa explicated his theory of an amoral “superman” who possessed unparalleled intellectual and physical strength. London uses that model to create “Wolf” Larsen, also an amoral man with both intellectual and physical strength.

“Figurative Language
Similes-
1. The shrill little whistle, like chirping amid the great beasts, shot through the fog from more to side and swiftly grew faint and fainter. (184)
2. And romantic it certainly was – the fog, like the gray shadow of infinite mystery, brooding over the whirling speck of the earth. (184)
3. His last word, in striking contrast to the smoothness of his last utterance, snapped like a lash of a whip. (191)
Metaphors-
1. The noises grew indistinct, though I heard a final and despairing chorus of screams in the distance.(187)
2. I could see the vessel being swallowed up in the fog. (187)
3. There was too much of a fighting beast in him. (242)

Symbolism

Irony
After continually being threatened by the ship’s cook, Thomas Mudgridge, Hump decides to stand his ground and arms himself with a knife. In the kitchen, Hump and the cook take seats and stare each other in the eye while each ominously sharpens his knife. This is an example of situational irony because one would not expect Hump, a domesticated man, to stand up to the vile cook. And as Hump says himself, “Of all situations this was the most unconceivable. I know that my own kind could not have believed it possible. I had not been called ‘Sissy’ Van Weyden all my days without reason.”(220)
The converse of this example of situational irony occurs when the Ghost arrives at Endeavor Island. During the course of the novel, “Wolf” had always been portrayed almost as invincible. However, when Hump discovers him, he is impaired with blindness, feebleness of speech, and he cannot even defend himself. While “Sissy” Van Weyden has unexpectedly increased his power, the mighty “Wolf” has none left.

Critique of Author’s Style
Conflict

[JaeSon5]

hi! I am Jae. I used to come to entmoot frequently before. I really need to keep this posted at entmoot for at least today, so i can print it in school.

Can you please keep this here until ben/bmilder gives the ok to delete it?

Also, if you have any suggestions that can help me, please feel free respond:P

[JaeSon5]

He uses his strength only to pursue personal goals, and he savagely destroys any man standing in way. London shows the dangers of powerful individualism and shows that inevitably it fails.

Conflict
Humphrey vs. Wolf Larsen-
From the start, Wolf Larsen does not allow Humphrey to return home and keeps him onboard against his will. And as conditions on the Ghost decline, and the situation get too dangerous, Humphrey escapes on a small boat. However, within days, Wolf Larsen catches up with him. Fortunately, for him, Wolf is severely paralyzed and does not present any major problems, for he dies after several days. Humphrey is then able to steer the Ghost back to land