This image represent’s Newton’s Third Law which states that for every force, there is an equal and opposite force. Pertaining to the novel, materialism and idealism are forces that are equal and opposite: neither one of them can overpower the other and they will always remain in check by the other. Source: Skaters Showing Newton’s Third Law. N.d. Photograph. Newton’s Laws of Motion. Web. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newton’s_laws_of_motion#Newton.27s_third_law
From a moral/ intellectual critical approach, we see that there are two prevailing ideas: Materialism and Idealism.
In the novel, we see that the embodiment of materialism lies in Wolf Larsen who deems human life as having no value and defines life as “a ferment, a yeasty something which devoured other life so that it might live”. Another example of Wolf Larsen’s materialism is seen when he wins money stolen from Van Weyden but says to him: “Being able to possess it, I wrong myself and life that is in me if I give it to you and forgo the pleasure of possessing it”.
In the novel we see this to be true in the fact that Van Weyden admits good and evil exist and that “the highest, right conduct…is the act which benefits at the same time the man, his children, and his race”.
And from this point of view we can see that the theme of the story is: Idealism will always trump Materialism in the end. Since Van Weyden and Maud, another idealist who was taken by Wolf Larsen, are the survivors and the only believers of idealism on the vessel. And Wolf Larsen died and is no longer living.
However, if we look at this theme from a psychoanalytic approach, we see a different version of the story.
After Van Weyden’s impressment, he begins to work on the ship and the conflict with Thomas Mudridge in which he, Van Weyden, states: “Of all situations this was the most inconceivable. I know that my own kind could not have believed it possible”. He resorted to the tactics of materialists–the desire to survive overtook him and he went by Wolf Larsen’s definition of life where one yeast must consume another in order to live.
We also see that materialism has affected Van Weyden in another way. When he discusses with Wolf Larsen the meanings of life. Where Wolf Larsen seems to be able to provide a counter argument for every belief that Van Weyden holds and a response is hard to come up with. Further allowing Van Weyden to question is beliefs.
This however may be seen as part of Wolf Larsen’s grander schemes of teaching Van Weyden about the real world. Wolf Larsen may be forcing Van Weyden to think for himself and act for himself during his stay on the Ghost. This grander scheme can be seen when Van Weyden is saved by the crew of the Ghoas and Wolf Larsen remarks: ” You stand on dead men’s legs” and later when he offers Van Weyden the job of cabin-boy: “It’s for your own soul’s sake. It will be the making of you. You might learn in time to stand on your own legs and perhaps to toddle along a bit.”
Wolf Larsen’s only goal in life was to pursue materialism. Yet we see a great contradiction: he ends up dying a painful death. On the other hand his ideas of materialism seemed to have affected Van Weyden to think and defend his values–allowing him to grow as a person. Ultimately, Wolf Larsen’s soul would live on with his contribution to Van Weyden’s consciousness of his own ideas and its infallibility–or should I say fallibility. Van Weyden know’s that materialism has impacted him in his conversation to Maud about Wolf Larsen’s death:
“His life flickered out in the storm,”[ Van Weyden] said.
“But he still lives,” [Maud] answered.
However, from this point of view we can see that materialism has triumphed in its ultimate goal and the theme becomes: No one can escape the effects of materialism and must cope with them.
In the end, we see that the true theme from these two forces: materialism and idealism govern mankind and will always be in conflict with one another for supremacy.

Works Cited:
Campbell, Donna M. “The Critical Reception of Jack London.” Critical Insights: Jack London. Ed. I. Berkove Lawrence. 1 vols. Salem Press, 2011. Salem Literature Web. 01 Feb. 2014.
Novels for Students. Vol. 35. Detriot: Gale, 2011. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 3 Feb. 2014.
London Times: Lost in a Sea of Thought 
Hello Murphy. This is a very nice blog post and I commend you on your shrewd cognition. As I am sure you are aware, idealism and materialism are noted as opposing in (their) nature. With that said, I am utilizing the strictly philosophical notion of both and if you have modified the meanings (i.e. you are adhering a more linguistic definition), please forgive my suddenly skewed analysis. Although you have extracted the concept of materialism from Wolf Larsen, I would personally classify him as nihilistic, abiding by the school of thought of nihilism in an existential, moral, and epistemological manner. I find this to be so, especially as you describe Larsen as finding no value in human life. The second quote you use, the one pertaining to Larsen’s stolen money, does nicely demonstrate a linguistic materialism more so. Having not read the book myself, if you were to clarify your semantics in regard to your “-isms” I feel that I would be much more adept at understanding your analyses. You also state that materialism and idealism are equilibrial, alluding to Newton’s Third Law. Like Newton’s Third Law, your thesis (to personify) also contradicts itself by later stating, “idealism will always trump materialism.” Perhaps Noether’s Theorem would suffice? (Sorry, attempted humor.) I am trying to understand which you condone or which is more essential to the theme.
Thank you for posting your thoughts on this thought-provoking concept. I truly enjoyed reading it.
– Jesse
In my opinion idealism will always trump materialism but that is from view within the system, from an existential view they are in equilibrium. However, we can never truly know what will happen between the two forces since we will always have a bias towards one or the other.
Thank you very much!! This is a great topic for debate and analysis isn’t it. The ideas of human nature and how we behave towards one another will never be answered. And we can also say that he represents some of Fredrich Nietzsche’s thoughts can’t we? Can you identify which one I’m referring to (hint: it begins with uber-)?
You’re welcome! This is indeed a fantastic topic for debate and analysis. Larsen does embody some aspects of the Übermensch. Nietzsche is very captivating in my opinion. Have you read Thus Spake Zarathustra? Thanks for replying to my comments, I am looking forward to reading your new blog posts!