Jack London
Part 1
1. “Survival of the fittest” means that the strongest, most favorable species for the environment will survive and thrive best. The phrase comes from Herbert Spencer, contrary to popular belief.
2. Socialism is public ownership of the means of production; London was attracted to this idea because in theory, it means that everyone’s wealth would be used to benefit everybody, no one would be left at the bottom of the “social pit.”
3. Social Darwinism is basically the idea that competition between people drives all societies together as a group to improve and evolve further into the future. This theory as “social Darwinism” began when other philosophers began taking a deeper look into Charles Darwin’s theories, and applied them to modern life. London interpreted this philosophy as part of his thoughts on determinism and how some people born into certain classes or races would have a better chance in the world.
Part 2
1. The Klondike, a region of Yukon in northwest Canada, east of the Alaskan border.
2. The central conflict of the story is the struggle between the protagonist and the weather, the cold. The source of said conflict is both the adventurer’s decision to go out, and the weather out of his control.
3. Tom Vincent nearly dies from the cold, and learns to always travel with a partner.
Part 3
1. At the end of the second version, Tom Vincent dies in the snow.
2. I believe the second ending more accurately conveys the ideas of