The Sea-Wolf

by

Jack London

Teachers and parents! Our Teacher Edition on The Sea-Wolf makes teaching easy.

Death Larsen Character Analysis

Death Larsen is the brother of the seal-hunting captain Wolf Larsen and is reportedly even more ruthless in his methods as a leader. He is captain of the Macedonia (likely a reference to the famous Macedonian general, Alexander the Great). Though Death Larsen never appears as a character in the book, he sends his crew to harass Wolf’s crew and claim the seal-hunting grounds for themselves. Wolf responds by sending out his own crew to capture Death’s hunters and hunting boats. Though Wolf is initially successful, Death eventually tracks down Wolf, offers Wolf’s crew better pay, and leaves Wolf marooned alone on the Ghost. Death Larsen shows how in a survival-of-the-fittest system, the most vicious competitor will usually win, and he represents the person Wolf might have become if he had never read books or studied philosophy.

Death Larsen Quotes in The Sea-Wolf

The The Sea-Wolf quotes below are all either spoken by Death Larsen or refer to Death Larsen. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Self-Reliance and Maturation Theme Icon
).
Chapter 10 Quotes

“No,” Wolf Larsen answered, with an indescribable air of sadness. “And he is all the happier for leaving life alone. He is too busy living it to think about it. My mistake was in ever opening the books.

Related Characters: Wolf Larsen (speaker), Humphrey Van Weyden , Death Larsen
Page Number: 66
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 25 Quotes

“What of the Macedonia?”

“Not sighted,” I answered.

I could have sworn his face fell at the intelligence, but why he should be disappointed I could not conceive.

Related Characters: Humphrey Van Weyden (speaker), Wolf Larsen (speaker), Death Larsen
Page Number: 150
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 32 Quotes

“Hump,” he said slowly, “you can’t do it. You are not exactly afraid. You are impotent. Your conventional morality is stronger than you.”

Related Characters: Wolf Larsen (speaker), Humphrey Van Weyden , Maud Brewster, Death Larsen
Page Number: 202
Explanation and Analysis:
Get the entire The Sea-Wolf LitChart as a printable PDF.
The Sea-Wolf PDF

Death Larsen Quotes in The Sea-Wolf

The The Sea-Wolf quotes below are all either spoken by Death Larsen or refer to Death Larsen. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Self-Reliance and Maturation Theme Icon
).
Chapter 10 Quotes

“No,” Wolf Larsen answered, with an indescribable air of sadness. “And he is all the happier for leaving life alone. He is too busy living it to think about it. My mistake was in ever opening the books.

Related Characters: Wolf Larsen (speaker), Humphrey Van Weyden , Death Larsen
Page Number: 66
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 25 Quotes

“What of the Macedonia?”

“Not sighted,” I answered.

I could have sworn his face fell at the intelligence, but why he should be disappointed I could not conceive.

Related Characters: Humphrey Van Weyden (speaker), Wolf Larsen (speaker), Death Larsen
Page Number: 150
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 32 Quotes

“Hump,” he said slowly, “you can’t do it. You are not exactly afraid. You are impotent. Your conventional morality is stronger than you.”

Related Characters: Wolf Larsen (speaker), Humphrey Van Weyden , Maud Brewster, Death Larsen
Page Number: 202
Explanation and Analysis: