Jack London and the American Literary Naturalist Movement

The Gilded Age (1865-1915) is widely recognized as a period of concentrated upheaval in North American history. As a result of the changes occurring during this period, authors of the American Literary Naturalism movement pinpointed their concerns for the welfare of their ailing society. A tone of tragic discontent without resolution is consistent through much of these authors' works. Through these authors' expressions of dissatisfaction with American society and through Jack London's creative autobiographies, in which he recounts sensationalized versions of his personal experience, we witness thoughtful considerations for social change during the Gilded Age. Though many of these propositions were never realized, they manifested in frustrated social movements and political influence. This short work captures how London and other Naturalist authors react to the transformations of American culture during the Gilded Age. It uncovers prevalent fictional themes to illustrate how these writers transform their apprehensions into intense literature that questions the root of human desire for communal progress and individual survival.