CREDIT: MACMILLAN PUBLISHERS
Martin Eden is a book, which explores that no matter what class one may be born into, we all have the same struggles in life.

What we usually find intriguing about books and what attracts us to them in the first place is often their ability to connect with us on a deeper level, to inspire emotion. In fact, it has always been hard to find an author who can speak through their words to a reader in an understanding and friendly manner.

Jack London is one of the rare authors who can do just that. His book, Martin Eden is nothing but a genuine example of such an approach.

In his fresh and engaging manner, London tells us a story of a group of amazing individuals who suffer great losses, but also have great successes. With the magic of London’s words, we start to relate to Martin Eden himself, start to feel the emotions he feels.

Eden is a young, tough and passionate sailor from the city of Oakland, California. At the beginning of the story he is a true representative of the working-class mentality, but is then introduced to a high-end bourgeois’ family. The conflict of the story is revolving around the sympathy Eden starts to feel to the daughter of the family, Ruth Morse. Morse is an educated, well-mannered girl with a close-minded view on life. The practical and experienced Martin comes to an inevitable conflict to the sublime attitude of Morse and her family.

He perceives her beauty as a miracle, as a reflection of divinity he will never be able to touch, while she sees him as a new, odd and alive toy. Two different worlds collapse, and that’s how London raises what may be the most important question of the story: what’s the real value of fancy words, degrees and social statuses in the world if they don’t bring people actual happiness?

The book is split in two parts, first is devoted to the life of Eden as a sailor in search of his way in society. The second is about his sad story of success. Eden decides to become a writer to conquer the love of Morse. The rich girl does not accept such a controversial intention of her partner and rejects him until he reaches something serious in life.

She gives him the short term of two years. During this period, Eden tries his best, sending letters with his new novels to publishers, but gets rejected one time after another. Nobody from the high society wants to know about him anymore, and he has to turn back to the scarcity of the old days.

Frightening and simple details of everyday life of the poor from the beginning of the 20th century are uncovered to a reader on the background of the people trying to figure out what really matters in this unstable life.

Eden is not just story of the struggle of classes and a study of social justice; it’s mainly a great novel about individual human beings, their feelings and everlasting struggle for the mystery of the meaning of life.

It’s also not about the philosophy of Nietzsche and Herbert Spencer, which is introduced in the plot; it is actually about us: the upper, middle and lower classes in society who all have the same concerns and troubles in life. Written in the first decade of 20th century, Eden nevertheless stays topical even now. The story is sad, but also quite cautionary and rarely naturalistic. It shows us life and questions that surround it in its absolute nakedness; this is a story that will change the way you look at life.