Martin Eden is a 1909 novel by Jack London that follows the story of a young, uneducated sailor named Martin Eden. When Martin saves a wealthy man named Arthur Morse from an assault, he is invited to the Morse family home, where he meets Arthur's sister Ruth and falls in love with her.

Determined to better himself and become worthy of Ruth, Martin embarks on a journey of self-education, immersing himself in literature and philosophy. He dreams of becoming a successful writer in order to rise above his working-class origins and gain acceptance into Ruth's refined social circle.