Jack London
• I. A brief introduction of Jack
London's background
• II. The Philosophy of Jack London
a. Social Darwinism
b. anti-Capitalism
• III. The influence that gold rush adventure
and south sea cruise brought to Jack London.
Social Level
• Chief Justice/ English Company/ French
Government-the upper class
• Schemmer/ Eruchot-the middle class
• Chinago coolies/ Tahitian-the lower class
• The capitalist system enriched only the
upper class at the expense of the lower class
• The conflict about Jack London advocated
in his point of view.
Culture
• Culture background—the reasons for people
still willing to be suppressed by capitalism.
• Philosophy of Chinese (Ah Cho):
– Be gentle and patient to any difficult
situations—(p. 844-first paragraph, “Forgive
malice”-p. 847, L23-25)
– Easy to be fulfilled—the coolie still enjoys the
low payment (p. 835-6)
Philosophy of Chinese (Ah Cho):
– .Believe the superior has power to suppress the
inferior—fix the sense of superior of European,
who look down upon Chinago’s life(p. 843, L
18-21), (p.846, L 19-21), Schemmer threaten
the dying Ah Cho and treats him inhuman (p.
847, L 19-21, 26-7)
– Self-defensive and selfish—Ah Cho shows no
mercy to Ah Chow(p. 839, L32-8), no one dare
to prove that Ah Cho is innocent (p. 845, L2-4)
Why Marxism is much more
popular in the third world where
most of the coolie from?
• Marxism is much more popular is because
most of the people there are poor, they want
to be fair.
From the text, we can see why
they want to be fair.
• In capitalism, their law is unfair top them.
– Schemmer killed a coolie, but can provided a doctor's
certificate so he is not punished. (p.837)
– The Judgement by appearance. (p.839)
– The error of the chief Justice. (p.840)
– Middle class & upper class doesn't hold their liability.
(p.846)
– Coolie's life seems to be valueless, the sentence "it is
only a chinago" always appear.
From the text, we can see why
they want to be fair.
• The minds of superiors don't have righteousness.
Cruchot try to think for the chinago but he is not
allow to think.
• The chinago don't understand capitalism, it seems to
be unreasonable.
• Conclusion: Because of the unfair and don't
understand, so the third world where most of the
coolie from hate capitalism. They want Marxism
instead.
The reality of "Free Emigration"
• The general situation of world at that time
• The export of coolies
• The maltreated coolies in other country
• Reference:華工出國史料匯編 (一到十輯)
文圖 索書號336.92 7548
Symbols
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Chinago/French Devils/White devil
Arrows/belts
Five hundred coolie
Ah Cho’s dream
Guillotine
International Financial
background of The Chinago
• Flourishing period of Capitalism
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The feature of capitalism
The attitude to labors in capitalism
• An opponent power—Marxism