The Sea-Wolf ‘s most compelling episodes are the philosophical discussions between Humphrey Van Weyden and Larsen. The clash of morality and ambition is central to both novels, and London incorporates ideas from the fields of biology, ethics, sociology, business, and aesthetics that heighten the psychological complexity of his characterizations. Martin Eden's zest for knowledge and his dedication to writing are inspiring, yet his self-absorption becomes boorish. Larsen's cogency and directness captivates readers, but his brutality is repulsive. They feature some of his most deftly imagined characters and show that London knew how to imbue rogues and anti-heroes with alluring dynamism. These novels are not the unequivocal ‘attacks’ London claims them to be. For decades, this statement has beguiled critics and readers alike who have tended to detect some of London's own beliefs in The Sea-Wolf's Captain Wolf Larsen and recognized Martin Eden as one of London's closest fictional alter egos. Nobody discovered that this was such an attack’ ( CL iii. Later on … I wrote another novel that was an attack upon the super-man idea, namely, my Martin Eden.
Lots of people read The Sea Wolf, no one discovered that it was an attack upon the super-man philosophy. Long ago, at the beginning of my writing career, I attacked Nietzsche and his super-man idea. On November 5, 1915, London wrote to fellow writer Mary Austin, ‘I have again and again written books that failed to get across.
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