Criticism of Capitalism and Humanism on The Iron Heel and Burning Daylight

This study focused on various violent elements and ways to overcome them in the capitalist system after the industrialization through Jack London's critical novels The Iron Heel and Burning Daylight. Contrary to positive expectations, a capitalist society that guarantees freedom is causing wide gaps between the rich and the poor and creating classes, and especially the capitalistic class is constantly committing violence against humans, with endless desires for materials. For them, moral and human thinking is not consistent in a capitalist society, and only material-centered thinking is defined as a way of survival. Jack London, who faces these absurd problems in the capital society, appears as Ernest and Daylight in the works, revealing his critical consciousness of capitalism. However, he does not only remain from a cynical perspective, but suggests human-centered humanism as a way to overcome it. This paper examines Jack London's critical view of capitalism in The Iron Heel and Burning Daylight and concludes with how to reveal humanism as a will to overcome the times. (Chungnam National University)