"'My man,' she said, looking at me for an instant with tremulous lids which fluttered down and veiled her eyes as she snuggled her head against my breast with a happy little sigh.
" (page 252) With such affectionate words and the theme of love so ardent in this ending, it is hard to conceive that this story could be anything beyond a romance novel. It is a fact, though, that the themes of jealousy and courage are just as prevalent as love in this book by Jack London, called The Sea Wolf. Themes of jealousy and courage stem from the more distinctive theme of love in this novel.The knowledge that I loved her rushed upon me...
" (page 147) and, "I, Humphrey Van Weyden, was in love! " (page 149) are the words of the novel's protagonist, also known as Hump. The "her" in his thoughts is the character Maude Brewster, an intelligent writer, who is coincidentally brought aboard the Ghost. The ship's deranged captain, Wolf Larson, experiences what can be assumed a certain amount of affection for Maude as well.While Hump is observing a conversation between the two, he notices Wolf's eyes become "warm and soft and golden, and all adance with tiny lights..
. (page 147) It is this that makes evident the fact that Wolf could be experiencing a form of love, and it is also this that brings out jealousy in Hump. While it was his idea for Maude to talk to Wolf and try be on his good side, it pained Hump to see them in the least bit intimate with each other. To describe how he felt after realizing that his prompting conversation between Wolf and Maude, Hump is thinking, "And yet I was conscious of a slight shock or hurt.
.. " (page 145), the "slight shock or hurt" being jealousy.While it seems natural that Hump felt jealous of anyone stealing the attention of Maude away from him, it doesn't seem so common for jealousy to be brought out in Wolf. It is, however, when Maude and Hump have a conversation of their own on their lives before the Ghost, something Wolf cannot comment on or participate actively in. "Oh, don't mind me,.
.. I don't count. Go on, go on. I pray you. " (page 138) was Wolf's response to their conversation.
This jealousy needed to be dealt with, and it was just like Wolf to deal with it in the manner than he did. I've given you warning, Cooky,... and now you've got to take your medicine. " (page 138)Wolf had Cooky thrown in the water and eventually his foot was bit off by a shark.
The jealousy between these two characters is sprung from their affections for Maude, proving that the theme of jealousy is taken from that of love. Another theme extracted from the dominating theme of love, is the theme of courage. "I am more than brave. I am courageous.
.. You may be unafraid, Mr. Larsen, but you must grant that the bravery is mine. (page 161-162)In this part of the novel, the Ghost is battling the Macedonia, Wolf's brother's, Death Larson, ship. Hump is making a point that he holds courage, since to be courageous one would need to feel fear, something Wolf does not have in this instance.
But the courage invested in Humphrey Van Weyden does not stop there. He finds that with his new found love for Miss Brewster, he has courage in himself not yet tapped into. "Maude was all this to me, and unfailing source of strength and courage.I had but to look at her, or think of her, and be stronge again.
" (page 217) This is a perfect example of the way Maude influenced Hump to feel. It is also a fact that Maude holds a secure amount of courage, which is described often by Hump. One particular instance where the thoughts of Hump express Maud's courage is at the point in the novel where they have escaped the Ghost and landed on an island they label "Endeavor Island". Hump is recollecting all that Maude had done to assist in the escape, and what she is accomplishing on the island with him now.
There was something heroic about this gently bred woman enduring our terrible hardship and with her pittance of strength bending to the tasks of a peasant woman. " (page 196) Maude and Hump, together, have shown a great deal of courage, as well as love, in this book. The presence of love in one's life brings about other concepts and feelings. For Humphrey Van Weyden, love brought to his life some jealousy, but mostly courage. Themes of jealousy and courage stem from the more distinctive theme of love in this novel.
