The Dignity of Dollars by Jack London
This novel explores the lives of two men who are struggling to survive during a severe economic depression. One man is a wealthy businessman and the other is a poor laborer. The story delves into their contrasting experiences, highlighting the harsh realities of poverty and the corrupting influence of wealth. Through their struggles, the novel critiques the social and economic systems that perpetuate inequality.
By Jack London · First published 1907 · Genre: Essay, Philosophical Literature, Social Commentary · 3,255 words
First lines
Man is a blind, helpless creature. He looks back with pride upon his goodly heritage of the ages, and yet obeys unwittingly every mandate of that heritage; for it is incarnate with him, and in it are embedded the deepest roots of his soul. Strive as he will, he cannot escape it -- unless he be a genius, one of those rare creations to whom alone is granted the privilege of doing entirely new and original things in entirely new and original ways. But the common clay-born man, possessing only talents, may do only what has been done before him. At the best, if he work hard, and cherish himself exceedingly, he may duplicate any or all previous performances of his kind; he may even do some of them better; but there he stops, the composite hand of his whole ancestry bearing heavily upon him.
What this Textopian page supports
The Dignity of Dollars is listed on Textopian as a short story by Jack London, dated 1907 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: 1907 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Essay, Philosophical Literature, Social Commentary, Autobiographical, Satire
- Length: 3,255 words
- Structure: 1 section, 15 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
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- Work identity for The Dignity of Dollars by Jack London
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Genres
- Essay — The work is a reflective essay exploring philosophical themes about human nature and society's valuation of wealth.
- Philosophical Literature — The text delves into philosophical musings on the nature of dignity, wealth, and human behavior.
- Social Commentary — It critiques societal norms and the influence of money on personal dignity and social status.
- Autobiographical — The narrative includes personal anecdotes and reflections, suggesting an autobiographical element.
Tags
Social Commentary · Economic Satire · American Literature · Class Struggle · Labor Movement · Capitalism Critique · Working Class Fiction · Realist Novel · Proletariat Prose · Industrialization Impact · Poverty Portrayal · Social Injustice