The People of the Abyss
Jack London's 1903 first-hand account of weeks living among the poor of London's East End.
At a glance
Key ideas
Living it, The Abyss, A depressing volume
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Jack London and The Condition of the Working Class in England
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- In 1902 London spent several weeks living in Whitechapel, in the East End of London, to understand its working class.
- He slept in workhouses and on the streets, and lodged with a poor family.
- Unlike most earlier accounts of English slums, it was based on what he saw himself.
Why it matters
- It inspired George Orwell, whose Down and Out in Paris and London and The Road to Wigan Pier show its influence.
Key facts
- Author
- Jack London1
- Published
- 19031
- Research
- Several weeks in Whitechapel, in the East End of London, in 19021
- Title
- "The Abyss" was a common term for the life of the urban poor; H. G. Wells used "the People of the Abyss" in Anticipations (1901)1
Key ideas
Connections
Links
Sources
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