THE MOTIVE OF FREEDOM IN JACK LONDON’S NOVEL «MARTIN EDEN»

Abstract

Jack London used a variety of motives in his works: mythological motives, the motive of adventure, the motives of friendship and love, the motive of lust for profit and true humanity, and also, the motive of freedom takes honorable place in this list. Freedom is a magnificent word, and it is also main purpose for humans, even if it might not be the only one. The freedom is not philosophical speculation, but the possibilities for human action under the restraints of existential conditions in real life. Free people are not abstract concepts, but real individuals in real life, because this is precisely what concerns literature. Due to the individual’s numerous difficulties in socialized life, how to obtain freedom, that is, the possibility of choice for the individual in life, has been an important topic in literature from ancient times to the present. From this another topic is produced, so-called fate and whether it can be predicted. The philosophical question of what is freedom and how to use it in real life is very popular in literature. «Martin Eden» by Jack London offers insights on the American social class structure during the early- to mid-20th century, which is still relevant today. The protagonist is a representative of the lower-class, having worked a blue-collar job before deciding to become a writer. The motive of a person’s destiny is broad and multifaceted, it is closely related to the motives of fate and the motive of freedom. A person's destiny can be influenced by character, human values, and fate. The desire for freedom is one of the important factors that influence a person's destiny.