The Heathen : Jack London

Hello Readers!

Hello readers welcome to my blog.This is my blog about the very famous short story "The Heathen". Let's we try to analysis the story in detail. 

Introduction

There was a fashion, a trand to write fiction about adventurous mainly in the middle of the sea. In 19th century American literature 'Treasure Island' by Mark Twain, 'Blow up with the ship' by Wilkie  Collins, ' Moby Dick' by Herman Melville and many other stories about sea life and adventurous are some of the examples of fiction about the world of the sea. The Heathen is another fine example of adventurous journey in the pacific by Jack London. He was a novelist, journalist, short story writer and essayist. One more fact regarding such fiction is that the write's of such stories where themselves associated with the sea life very closely. Jack London worked at various hard labour jobs. Pirated for served on a fish patrol to capture poachers, sailor the pacific on shelling ship  etc.

Here is such adventurous story in detail.

Title of the Story

The title of this short story 'The Heathen' is a strange world. The meaning of this word is a person who doesn't believe in god , an atheist. The narrator meets too, the Heathen during his remains with the narratDor for seventeen years. The story highlights greater qualities of the Heathen. So the title is apt. 

Theme of the Story

The Heathen like many other American stories highlights the adventures in the middle of the sea. It shows how the narrator and Otoo spend life together at various parts of the worlds. It also introduces the character sketch of Otoo  as noble human being. The story shows how a white man, the narrator and native belonging to an Island, development friendship.

Characterisation

  Short Story introduces a small group of characters similarly The Heathen introduces mainly two characters the narrator himself and Otoo, the Heathen. Though this is a long short story. Others character are minor and they have little role to play like other sailors, The pearl treaters, the local inhabitant,Bill king etc.Jack London draws the character sketch of Otoo very powerfully. He is a kind, nobel and more than a family member to the narrator. He is peaceful by nature but when his challenged, he also a strong fighter. 

 Setting

This is an adventurous tale about the sea life.  There for the setting is mostly the sea. The story develops at ship, pots, Islands and the places closely connected with the sea. The pacific, the story begins with the narrator of the ships, pots, Islands and the places closely connected with the sea. The pacific the story begins with the narration of the  the ship the petitesteseam and then many other places are narrated in this story. 

Plot 

Adventure stories highlight the life of sailors mainly the stories related the sea. Story begins with the narrator's journey in the ship petaitjenne, unfortunately the ship meets a storm. There is also epidemic in the ship that claim many lives. Luckily the narrator  is survived with Otoo he meets first time in this sheep. Otoo belongs to BoraBora Island. A coloured man. Then they live together as brother, friends for seventeen years facing every problem. The narrator develops business well with the help of Otoo. He is an assitant, a friend and more than a brother for the narrator. At the end of the story , Otoo sacrifices his life to save the narrator from the shark. Throughout the life Otoo serves the narrator.

  
The narrator himself, Jack London was experienced of the sea life. He had worked on the ship. So his portray of the sea life can be more effective and realistic. 'The Heathen' shows  many aspects of the sea life minutely.He shows adventures, the horror side of the sea as well as the beauty of the sea. His characterisation is also powerful. 


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