Martin Eden

Content Warning: This section refers to depression and death by suicide.

Martin accompanies Brissenden to a Socialist Party meeting. Brissenden is a socialist; he views the movement as inevitable. He wants Martin to debate the socialist intellectuals. After briefly observing the speakers, Martin admires them, even if he disagrees with their ideas. The socialists are so interested in Martin’s logic and eloquence that they let him continue speaking past his allotted five minutes. He comments on how socialism and the American system embody Nietzschean slave morality and thus can’t stand the test of time.

A junior (“cub”) reporter happens to be attending the meeting. Although he doesn’t understand the content of the debates, he feels that he’s intellectually superior to Martin and the others. Because Martin is an eloquent and stirring speaker, the reporter writes an article describing Martin as a socialist leader.

Martin is mildly annoyed the next day when he reads the reporter’s article. He cares little about the opinions of the bourgeoisie, but the article will make things even more awkward with Ruth’s family.

Maria abruptly ushers the cub reporter into Martin’s room. He hopes to interview Martin. Instead, Martin and Brissenden make fun of him, speaking about the reporter as if he weren’t there.