Jack London
4
3.9
- proper noun
- /dʒæk ˈlʌndən/
- Jack London is well known for his novel 'The Call of the Wild', which reflects his experiences during the Klondike gold rush.
Examples
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Many critics consider Jack London one of the foremost American adventure writers.
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Jack London wrote many stories about survival.
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Jack London's stories often focus on survival in harsh environments.
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She wrote her thesis on the influence of Jack London on twentieth-century literature.
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I just finished reading a novel by Jack London.
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Jack London's work has inspired countless readers with its themes of adventure and survival in the wilderness.
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Many students study Jack London in literature classes to understand the American frontier experience.
Surface Forms
Morphology
Jack + London
This is a proper name referring to a specific historical individual; knowing the constituents 'Jack' (a given name) and 'London' (a place/name) does not allow a B1 learner to infer the biographical meaning 'an American writer famous for novels.' While learners might guess it is a person's name, the specific referent and occupational information are arbitrary and not derivable from the parts, so the expression is opaque.
Etymology
Jack London was an American writer who joined the 'Klondike' gold rush and lived hard, outdoor life, and he used those real adventures in his books. That's why his name is known for stories about survival and adventure, like 'The Call of the Wild'.