It is not generally known that Jack London was one of the most popular and highest paid writers of his time, and it took until the end of the 20th century until literary critics began to pay more attention to this author whose range of themes and writing style had been underestimated for a long time. Thanks to the pioneering work of Earle Labor, Jeanne Campbell Reesman and others, students of American literature and culture are now in a position to appreciate Jack London's work for its psychological insights, its philosophical interests, and its effective literary style. — With its focus on London's efforts as a writer of short fiction this class will offer students opportunities to engage intensively with a variety of themes that range from a celebration of life to instances of madness and cruelty. These close readings will also provide ample material for discussions of London's literary credo and invite students to reflect further on the relevance of literature in American culture.
Students must be prepared to participate actively in class and to commit themselves to weekly reading and writing assignments. Reading material will be made available in the course of the semester.
