The Minions of Midas by Jack London

Name: The Minions of Midas
Author: Jack London

The story revolves around a group of men who are obsessed with wealth and power. They form a secret society to accumulate riches through any means necessary. The protagonist, a young man, becomes embroiled in their activities and must navigate the moral implications of their actions. As the society's influence grows, so does its corruption. The members become increasingly ruthless in their pursuit of wealth, leading to tragic consequences for those around them. The novel explores themes of greed, power, and the dangers of unchecked ambition. It is a cautionary tale about the corrupting influence of wealth and the importance of moral integrity.

By Jack London · First published 1904 · Genre: Thriller, Mystery, Crime · 5,295 words

First lines

Wade Atsheler is dead-dead by his own hand. To say that this was entirely unexpected by the small coterie which knew him, would be to say an untruth; and yet never once had we, his intimates, ever canvassed the idea. Rather had we been prepared for it in some incomprehensible subconscious way. Before the perpetration of the deed, its possibility is remotest from our thoughts; but when we did know that he was dead, it seemed, somehow, that we had understood and looked forward to it all the time. This, by retrospective analysis, we could easily explain by the fact of his great trouble. I use "great trouble" advisedly. Young, handsome, with an assured position as the right-hand man of Eben Hale, the great street-railway magnate, there could be no reason for him to complain of fortune's favors. Yet we had watched his smooth brow furrow and corrugate as under some carking care or devouring sorrow. We had watched his thick, black hair thin and silver as green grain under brazen skies and parching drought. Who can forget, in the midst of the hilarious scenes he toward the last sought with greater and greater avidity-who can forget, I say, the deep abstractions and black moods into which he fell? At such times, when the fun rippled and soared from height to height, suddenly, without rhyme or reason, his eyes would turn lacklustre, his brows knit, as with clenched hands and face overshot with spasms of mental pain he wrestled on the edge of the abyss with some unknown danger.

What this Textopian page supports

The Minions of Midas is listed on Textopian as a short story by Jack London, dated 1904 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: 1904 CE
Language: English
Genres: Thriller, Mystery, Crime, Psychological Fiction, Social Commentary
Length: 5,295 words
Structure: 1 section, 73 paragraphs
Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)

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Discussion starters

What should a reader notice first when entering The Minions of Midas?
How does this short story by Jack London fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
Where does Thriller first become important in the reading?

Similar titles

Genres

Thriller — The narrative revolves around suspenseful and dangerous situations involving murder and extortion.
Mystery — The plot involves unraveling the identity and motives of the Minions of Midas.
Crime — The story features criminal activities such as murder and blackmail.
Psychological Fiction — The story delves into the psychological impact of the threats and murders on the characters.