Jack London on the Oakland Waterfront

Abstract

I N TEN chapters of John Barleycorn, almost a third of the book, Jack London gives a convincing, colorful description of his experiences on the Oakland waterfront during the early I890's, stealing oysters, drinking grandly and, later, enforcing the fish laws. London's principal biographers (his wife, Charmian; his daughter, Joan; and Irving Stone) have all incorporated into their works a number of the experiences described in John Barleycorn, frequently even to the extent of echoing the phrasing of that book. Moreover, perhaps because of this apparent verification of so much of London's self-portrait, almost all summaries of his life and commentaries on his work draw on John Barleycorn as a satisfactorily accurate record of London's life.1 To be sure, many have commented that John Barleycorn must be used with caution. The exaggeration and bombast which characterize the book have been recognized, of course; and the accuracy of some of the specific incidents related in the book has been challenged, including London's version of the crammingschool incident, the loan from the bartender, and the heroic drinking. Despite the obvious minor discrepancies and distortions in John Barleycorn, however, London's essential description of himself as of the Oyster Pirates, peer of the waterfront drunkards and Deputy Fish Patrolman, scourge of his erstwhile comrades, has been generally accepted. The uncritical acceptance of this description specifically and John Barleycorn generally has resulted in a somewhat inaccurate picture of London: for the validity of young London's claim to the title of Prince of a thriving group of oyster pirates is rather doubtful; his account of the drunken