Charley's Coup by Jack London (1909)
The story revolves around a young man who seeks to overthrow the corrupt government of a small South American republic. He gathers a group of followers and launches a successful coup, but soon finds himself struggling with the moral implications of his actions. The narrative explores themes of power, morality, and the complexities of revolution.
By Jack London · First published 1909 · Genre: Adventure, Action, Crime · 5,433 words
First lines
PERHAPS our most laughable exploit on the fish patrol, and at the same time our most dangerous one, was when we rounded in, at a single haul, an even score of wrathful fishermen. Charley called it a "coop," having heard Neil Partington use the term; but I think he misunderstood the word, and thought it meant "coop," to catch, to trap. The fishermen, however, coup or coop, must have called it a Waterloo, for it was the severest stroke ever dealt them by the fish patrol, while they had invited it by open and impudent defiance of the law.
What this Textopian page supports
Charley's Coup is listed on Textopian as a short story by Jack London, dated 1909 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Jack London
- Date: 1909 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Adventure, Action, Crime, Humor, Drama
- Length: 5,433 words
- Structure: 1 section, 98 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Charley's Coup by Jack London
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering Charley's Coup?
- How does this short story by Jack London fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Adventure first become important in the reading?
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Genres
- Adventure — The narrative focuses on thrilling exploits and daring actions of the fish patrol, emphasizing excitement and risk.
- Action — The story is driven by dynamic and fast-paced events, including chases and confrontations with fishermen.
- Crime — The plot revolves around illegal fishing activities and the enforcement of the law by the fish patrol.
- Humor — The story contains elements of comedy, particularly in the interactions and mishaps of the characters.
Tags
Adventure · Fiction · Novel · Short Story · American Literature · Classic · Historical Fiction · Western · Coup d'etat · Politics · Power Struggle · Social Commentary