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Edgar Allan Poe & Jack London
Sarah Post
1Pets play a large role in many Americans’ lives. According to the Pet Food Institute, nearly 150 million cats and dogs reside in the Unites States, with over 55% of all households including a cat, dog, or both. With this in mind, it’s no surprise American authors have discussed man’s relationship with animals in their work since the founding fathers stepped onto land with their faithful dogs and mice-chasing cats at their side.
2Born in 1809, Edgar Allan Poe was an American author of poetry and short stories. Known primarily for his psychological thrillers and dark themes, Poe created several works that feature wild animals and domesticated pets. In fact, his most famous poem is titled “The Raven.” In his short story “The Black Cat,” Poe describes the relationship between man and pet:
3 “I was especially fond of animals, and was indulged by my parents with a great variety of pets. With these I spent most of my time, and never was so happy as when feeding and caressing them. This peculiarity of character grew with my growth, and in my manhood, I derived from it one of my principal sources of pleasure. To those who have cherished an affection for a faithful and sagacious dog, I need hardly be at the trouble of explaining the nature or the intensity of the gratification thus derivable. There is something in the unselfish and self-sacrificing love of a brute, which goes directly to the heart of him who has had frequent occasion to test the paltry friendship and gossamer fidelity of mere Man…. Pluto--this was [my] cat's name--was my favorite pet and playmate. I alone fed him, and he attended me wherever I went about the house. It was even with difficulty that I could prevent him from following me through the streets.”
4Another American author who wrote stories regarding man’s relationship with animals was Jack London. Born in 1876, London is one of the most famous American authors of the early 20th century. London drew from his experiences on a sealing ship and in the Klondike searching for gold to write several works bearing the prevailing theme of man vs. nature. One of London’s most well-known works, The Call of the Wild, features a dog named Buck:
5“Buck was neither house-dog nor kennel-dog. The whole realm was his. He plunged into the swimming tank or went hunting with the Judge's sons; he escorted Mollie and Alice, the Judge's daughters, on long twilight or early morning rambles; on wintry nights he lay at the Judge's feet before the roaring library fire; he carried the Judge's grandsons on his back, or rolled them in the grass, and guarded their footsteps through wild adventures down to the fountain in the stable yard, and even beyond, where the paddocks were, and the berry patches. [H]e was king,--king over all creeping, crawling, flying things of Judge Miller's place, humans included.”
6In both “The Black Cat,” and The Call of the Wild, animals serve as main characters. Both Pluto and Buck begin their stories as friends of human characters. Both suffer mistreatment at the hands of humans, and in both stories, the animals emerge as victorious heroes while human characters perish.
Based on the writers’ excerpts, how are Poe’s and London’s writing styles MOST alike?
Responses
A They both portray animals in a positive light.They both portray animals in a positive light.
B They both clearly favor dogs over all other animals.They both clearly favor dogs over all other animals.
C They both write from an animal’s point of view.They both write from an animal’s point of view.
D They both prefer animals over humans as life companions.