The Road

"The Road" by Jack London is a story about a young wanderer's rough life as a hobo in America during the early 1900s; it shows his battles to stay alive and his dealings with fairness, or a lack thereof, in society. The journey starts with the hobo looking back at his younger days, like that one summer in Reno, Nevada. He tells us how hard it was to find food, how he had to beg, and the different people he met, like a rich guy and a nice lady. He's clever and knows how to get by. The novel explores the hidden rules and customs of wanderers, revealing how they navigate rejection and depend on the generosity of others. With both funny and sad moments, the book examines what it means to be a hobo and the problems the main character has trying to dodge being judged by everyone else.