The Game
1905
The Game, published in 1905 by Jack London, is a novel centered on Joe Fleming, a young prizefighter navigating the complexities of love and ambition. As he prepares for a pivotal boxing match that promises financial security, his relationship with Genevieve is tested by her fears and his obsession with the sport. The story explores the struggles of the working class and the moral dilemmas faced by individuals torn between personal desires and societal expectations, ultimately highlighting the sacrifices made in the pursuit of ambition.
Editions
X-Ray
“Mrs. Silverstein is a dub, and a softy, and a knocker,” he said good-humoredly. “What’s she know about such things, anyway? I tell you it is good, and healthy, too,””
— Jack London
“He was beginning to see, though vaguely, the sharp conflict between woman and career, between a man’s work in the world and woman’s need of the man. But he was not capable of generalization. He saw only the antagonism between the concrete, flesh-and-blood Genevieve and the great, abstract, living Game. Each resented the other, each claimed him; he was torn with the strife, and yet drifted helpless on the currents of their contention.””
— Jack London
