Just how evolved are we? Are we as civilized as we appear to others? Jack London's stories often depict heroic figures at odds with the forces of nature. In this story, those forces are internal rather than external. James Ward, a wealthy San Francisco businessman by day, becomes something quite different by night. This works for a while, until he meets the love of his life, and he faces his most important challenge. Written in 1910, this story might be considered an early example of science fiction (without much science).