Jack London

1. Jack London 1876-1916 How old was he when he died?

2. Family • Background Information • Born in San Francisco • Father William Chaney: astrologer • Mother Flora Wellman: “cold” • Step-father John London: poor farmer • Helped by step-sister and servant “Aunt Jenny” • Went to work at 10 years old • Quit school at 15 to work full-time in factory (salmon cannery) • Used books to escape life

3. Life of Adventure • Several odd jobs—many of them at sea Oyster pirate Fish patrol Seaman on whaling schooner • Returned to high school at 19—passed entrance exam to U of Ca @ Berkley One semester Lacked finances

4. Klondike Gold Rush • Jack London in the Kondike • Joined the gold rush to help support his mom after John London died • Returned home because of illness (scurvy) • Ideas for writing gained here • Jack London in the Kondike • Joined the gold rush to help support his mom after John London died • Returned home because of illness (scurvy) • Ideas for writing gained here

5. Political Ideas • Arrested for vagrancy in 1894-one month in jail • Fought for poor—Socialist • Shared wealth—never quit working; worried about money

6. Finally earned money writing • Published over 50 novels; letter writer; speaker • Call of the Wild/The Sea Wolf • “Great Earthquake and Fire” (San Francisco) written for Collier’s magazine paid 25 cents/word-2500 word article

7. Adult/Family Life

8. Married • Bessie May Madden-April 7, 1900 • Later divorced (1905)—different interests

9. Children • Joan—born January 15,1901 • Bess—born October 20,1902 • Third child died at birth

10. Married (2nd time) • Charmain Kitterage-November 19, 1905 • Adventures at sea together • Built large ranch in California

11. Jack London’s Admonition • Write what you see!

12. Jack London’s Style • Helps reader become involved because he experienced what he wrote about • Used vivid language Adverbs Adjectives Unusual word order Repetition • Stories are based on experiences-reality based • Life and death situations

13. Primary Source • Eyewitness Accounts—autobiography • Diaries, letters, news accounts, photos, art

14. Secondary Source • Written by someone with no direct experience with events of person’s life • Using information from other sources

15. Famous Books from Jack London • Websites of Jack London • Jack London on line collection

16. Miscellaneous • The Story of an Eyewitness • Today in Literature • Klondike Rush • Jack London Introduction • King of Mazy May • Power Point • Mazy May • The Call of the Wild

17. Brainstorm(Before Reading) • Is “manliness” based on strength and bravery? • What is a “Gold Rush”? • What are the differences between the ways adults behave and the ways teenagers behave? • In this story a young boy does the right thing because he has a good heart. Think about a time when you performed a good deed with no thought of reward. What motivated you? How did you feel? • Please answer these questions on the back of your work packet. Thank you!

18. After reading: • In what ways do the events in the story cause a teenager to act like an adult? • What are three qualities in Walt that help him defeat the stampeder’s? • How would you describe living in the setting of the story?

19. Story of an Eyewitness- Jack London • Brainstorm: Think/pair/share • Have you ever been an eyewitness to a memorable event, such as an accident, a fire, a flood? • How did you feel at the time? • Did everything happen too fast for you to notice the details, or did every detail become locked in your memory?

20. Quiz—”The Story of an Eyewitness” • 1. Why was it so difficult to control the fires that broke out after the earthquake? • A. The earth kept moving • B. Everyone was too scared to stay and fight the fires • C. There was smoke everywhere • D. There was no water, and the roads were blocked.

21. 2. What case the greatest damage to the city of San Francisco? • A. Thieves • B. Tremors • C. Fires • D. Floods

22. 3. Buildings were dynamited mainly to… • A. stop the spread of fire. • B. Clear the streets for trucks. • C. Prevent them from falling. • D. Stop thieves from entering.

23. 4. Why was the government setting up tents and serving meals in Union Square just four and a half hours before it caught fire? • A. No one could go any farther without food. • B. No one thought the fires would spread so quickly. • C. Everyone wanted to help as much as possible before the fire came. • D. There was nowhere else to go.

24. 5.Jack London was surprised that most people reacted to the earthquake with such • A. courtesy. • B. yelling • C. meanness • D. Hysteria.

25. 6. The wind racing into the city on all sides was caused primarily by the… • A. earth’s movements. • B. dynamite explosions set off by firefighters. • C. vacuum created by the fire. • D. Movements of the collapsing buildings

26. 7. The main job of the soldiers in the city was to • A. protect the banks • B. Arrest criminals • C. prevent looting • D. Keep people moving

27. 8. At the end of the article, London predicts that the • A. Fires will return. • B. City will be rebuilt. • C. People will starve • D. Refugees will riot.

28. 9. A dear book is a book that is.. • A. Old. • B. Tattered. • C. Treasured.

29. 10. Someone near a conflagration would feel its • A. Mood • B. Heat • C. Tremors

30. 11. Someone who is compelled to act feels • A. Forced. • B. Watched. • C. Bold.

31. 12. A dog would be a menace if it likes to • A. Bark. • B. Play. • C. Bite.

32. 13. Refugees are people who • A. Flee from their homes. • B. Go on vacation. • C. Fight fires

33. 14. Why was Jack London called on to report on the San Francisco fire? • 15. What is the difference between a news story and a feature story? “The Story of an Eyewitness” was an example of which?