
The Scarlet Plague
by Jack London
'The Scarlet Plague ' Summary
The story takes place in 2073, sixty years after an uncontrollable epidemic, the Red Death, has depopulated the planet. James Smith is one of the survivors of the era before the scarlet plague hit and is still left alive in the San Francisco area, and he travels with his grandsons Edwin, Hoo-Hoo, and Hare-Lip. His grandsons are young and live as primeval hunter-gatherers in a heavily depopulated world. Their intellect is limited, as are their language abilities. Edwin asks Smith, whom they call "Granser", to tell them of the disease alternately referred to as scarlet plague, scarlet death, or red death.
Smith recounts the story of his life before the plague, when he was an English professor. In 2013, the year after "Morgan the Fifth was appointed President of the United States by the Board of Magnates", the disease came about and spread rapidly. Sufferers would turn scarlet, particularly on the face, and become numb in their lower extremities. Victims usually died within 30 minutes of first seeing symptoms. Despite the public's trust in doctors and scientists, no cure is found, and those who attempted to do so were also killed by the disease. The grandsons question Smith's belief in "germs" causing the illness because they cannot be seen.
Smith witnesses his first victim of the scarlet plague while teaching when a young woman's face turns scarlet. She dies quickly, and a panic soon overtakes the campus. He returns home, but his family refuses to join him because they fear he is infected. Soon, an epidemic overtakes the area and residents begin rioting and killing one another. Smith meets with colleagues at his college's chemistry building, where they hope to wait out the problem. They soon realize they must move elsewhere for safety and begin trekking northward.
Shortly, Smith's entire party dies out and he is left as the sole survivor. He lives for three years on his own with the company of a pony and two dogs. Eventually, his need for social interaction compels him back to the San Francisco area in search of other people. He finally discovers a sort of new society has been created with a few survivors, who have broken into tribes.
Smith worries that he is the last to remember the times before the plague. He reminisces about the quality of food, social classes, his job, and technology. As he realizes his time grows short, he tries to impart the value of knowledge and wisdom to his grandsons. His efforts are in vain, however, as the children ridicule his recollections of the past, which sound totally unbelievable to them.
Book Details
Authors

Jack London
United States
John Griffith London was an American novelist, journalist, and social activist. A pioneer of commercial fiction and American magazines, he was one of the first American authors to become an internatio...
Books by Jack LondonDownload eBooks
Listen/Download Audiobook
- Select Speed
Related books

Mengelilingi Doenia Dalam 80 Hari by Jules Verne
Follow Phileas Fogg, an eccentric Englishman, on his extraordinary journey around the globe in just 80 days. Accompanied by his loyal servant Passepar...

Chateau d'Or by Mary Jane Holmes
Chateau d'Or, or the Castle of Gold, presents a captivating tale set against the backdrop of the French countryside. Two travelers, captivated by the...

Gladiator by Philip Wylie
Gladiator tells the story of a man who, through the scientific genius of his father, a biologist, is endowed with superhuman strength and resilience....

Pony Rider Boys in Montana by Frank Gee Patchin
The Pony Rider Boys, a group of adventurous young men, are back in this third installment of the series. This time, they've set their sights on the ru...

3 Science Fiction Stories by Frank Herbert by Frank Herbert
This collection of three science fiction short stories by Frank Herbert offers a glimpse into the early works of the author renowned for *Dune*. Thes...

Lady's Mile by Mary Elizabeth Braddon
Lady's Mile explores the gilded cage of London's elite in the Victorian era. It centers on the lives of individuals striving to be part of the most fa...

Sorceress of the Strand by L. T. Meade
In the vibrant streets of Victorian London, Madame Sara, a captivating and enigmatic figure, arrives, quickly captivating London's elite. Her shop on...

The Last of the Plainsmen by Zane Grey
Travel along as Mike Vendetti aka miketheauctioneer narrates an outstanding true account of a trip made in 1909 by Zane Grey and a plainsman, Buffalo...

Christmas Stories From 'Household Words' And 'All The Year Round' by Charles Dickens
This collection of stories, originally published in Dickens's magazines, explores the social realities of Victorian England during the Christmas seaso...

Peveril of the Peak by Sir Walter Scott
Peveril of the Peak (1823) is the longest novel by Sir Walter Scott. Along with Ivanhoe, Kenilworth, and Woodstock this is one of the English novels i...
Reviews for The Scarlet Plague
No reviews posted or approved, yet...