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The Power of The Sea-Wolf Essay

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The Power of The Sea-Wolf

Jack London’s novel, The Sea-Wolf, has many different interpretations. The story can be read as a combination of the naturalistic novel and the sentimental romance, both very popular around the turn of the century. London also brings into play literary naturalism, in which human beings are characterized as just another species in nature, subject to all of Her cosmic forces. The Sea-Wolf fits almost perfectly the archetypal pattern of an initiation story. Depth and interest are added to The Sea-Wolf by successfully integrating these three elements -- the combination of two popular genres, literary naturalism, and the initiation story.

One of the characteristics common to most naturalistic novels is the …show more content…

Two elements of the naturalistic novel are present in The Sea-Wolf -- humans fighting nature, humans fighting one another.

Jack London also uses another popular genre of the time -- the romance novel. This novel is very much about Humphrey Van Weyden and Maud Brewster falling in love. As soon as Humphrey sets eyes on her he's entranced: "She seemed to me like a being from another world; she smiled amusedly and sweetly, as only a woman can smile" (142). "She was like a feather in my arms, so slender, so ethereal" (276). Humphrey knew for a long time that he was deeply in love with her, but she didn't realize that she reciprocated the feelings until late in the novel. When she finally realized it, she smiled "a most adorable smile, whimsical as I had never seen it, for it was whimsical with love" (284). This combination of the naturalistic novel and the romance novel brings out the best sides of both and allows for a very interesting novel.

Throughout the novel, London brings somewhat into play the ideas of literary naturalism, in which human beings are treated as just another species. Many times, the idea is introduced of the enormity of nature and the fact that humans are subject to all of the cosmic forces. When trying to fix up the Ghost, Humphrey and Maud run into many problems resulting from the destructive forces of nature. At one point, Humphrey is blown off

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