Conflict between individualism and socialism
From the analysis above, we can observe that Martin Eden vacillated between individualism and
socialism. Being a firm individualist, he seemed not to have suffered as much as Jack London. However,
he was not totally immune from the conflict that inflicted much on Jack. Though an individualist, he was
at least a pro-socialist, if not a real socialist. His identity as an individualist made it certain that he must
endure misunderstanding in solitude that he must seek after success independently and he must separate
himself from the working-class people.
However, he harbored sincere concern for the working people because of his working
experiences, his inborn kindness and his family background. He kept his natural ties with working people
and felt close to them due to the fact that
“He had worked himself; his first memories seemed connected with work, and all his family had
worked. There was Gertrude. When her hands were not hard from the endless housework, they were
swollen and red like boiled beef, what of washing. And there was his sister Marian. She had worked in the
cannery the preceding summer and her slim, pretty hands were all scarred with the tomato-knives.
Besides, his father had worked to the last fading gasp; the horned growth on his hands must have been
half an inch thick when he died.”
(Jack London:
Martin Eden:
397)
Nevertheless, once he set his mind on writing to fame and money independent of all others, his
natural tie with the working class was deliberately cut off. This brought him little psychological pain at
the moment because it was blanketed by the joy and satisfaction he got from reading, writing and fell in
love.
During the process of individualistic struggle, he was a little lonesome but secretly pleased that he
had built a castle with philosophies and his books, which could not be easily penetrate by the ignorant
working people. Although he belonged to the working class, he had distinguished himself from them by
acquiring knowledge from a wide range of books. As a result, he thought of himself as a man different
from masses, superior to them physically and mentally. Then he triumphantly set for success as an
extremely individualist.
During his individualistic development, he elevated himself above the working-class people while
and the same time always held deep concern for them. Both his sympathy and aversion for under-dogs
were reflected by his innermost thoughts and feeling at a socialist assembly.
However, no matter how individualistic he was, he could not rid himself of his concern for the
working people. As a result, he was so frequently cornered by socialism and individualism that he
certainly felt at loss. Such puzzlement was furthered by the conflict resulting from his adherence to
superman theory and his deep concern for the working people.
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