The Scarlet Plague by Jack London: A Prophetic Pandemic Novel

Jack London’s The Scarlet Plague is a gripping novel that explores the destruction of humanity and civilization by a devastating pandemic, painting a vivid picture of a post-apocalyptic world. First published in 1912, this book has gained renewed relevance in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic that erupted in 2020. If you’re intrigued by tales of survival, societal collapse, and the fragility of human progress, let’s dive into this timeless classic.

Book Review - The Scarlet Plague by Jack London: A Timeless Tale of Survival

In 2020, the world was shaken by an unprecedented pandemic: Covid-19. Jack London’s *The Scarlet Plague* tells a similar story, but the disease in this novel is far more deadly, wiping out nearly the entire human race. Only a handful of survivors remain. Written in 1912, this novel feels eerily prophetic, as if it were a ghost from the past speaking directly to our present.

Interestingly, Jack London did not draw inspiration from a major pandemic when writing this book. In the early 1900s, a small plague outbreak in San Francisco affected just over a hundred people. The Spanish Flu, which claimed the lives of 20 million people worldwide and nearly 700,000 in the U.S., emerged in 1918—eight years after London wrote *The Scarlet Plague*. Therefore, London’s vision was not based on firsthand experience with a pandemic but rather on his keen interest in scientific advancements and his ability to extrapolate future scenarios.

Given this context, it’s remarkable how London predicted an event that would unfold over a century later. His foresight makes this novel a compelling read, one that you won’t want to put down. Personally, I’ve always admired London’s writing style. None of his novels or short stories have ever disappointed me, and I consider him a universal author whose works can be enjoyed by readers across generations.

The Plot of The Scarlet Plague

The novel begins in the year 2073. An old man and a child are traveling through a post-apocalyptic world. On the beach where they arrive, two more children are tending to goats. These children are the old man’s grandchildren. In this world, only a handful of humans remain. A deadly plague, referred to as the Scarlet Death or Scarlet Plague, wiped out nearly the entire human race in 2013, leaving only a few survivors.

Illustration from the first book edition.

The old man, Granser, is one of the rare individuals who witnessed the plague and lived to tell the tale. He recounts the events of the pandemic, the world before it, and how he survived alone for years before reuniting with other survivors. To his grandchildren, his stories sound like fairy tales. They were born into a savage world and have no frame of reference for the advanced technology, science, or civilized society that once existed. They live as wild beings, clad in animal skins, using bows and knives to hunt and protect themselves from predators. The world has regressed to a primitive state.

Through Granser’s narration, we learn about the plague and its aftermath, which unfolded 60 years prior.

The World Before and After the Plague

Jack London’s novel presents a stark contrast between the pre-plague world and the post-apocalyptic reality. The pre-plague world is one of advanced technology, wireless communication, and mass air travel—remarkable predictions for a book written in 1912. This futuristic vision makes The Scarlet Plague a work of science fiction as much as it is a post-apocalyptic tale.

One of the most striking aspects of the pre-plague world is the governance of the United States by the Board of Industrial Magnates, a group of wealthy and influential individuals who even appointed the president. The world itself is governed by an International Control Organization, with the chairman of the Board of Industrial Magnates also being a member. Despite its technological advancements, the world is controlled by a small elite.

When the plague strikes, this entire system collapses. For example, San Francisco, once home to 4 million people, is reduced to a population of just 40, most of whom are descendants of survivors like Granser. The rapid spread of the plague leads to the swift downfall of civilization, as described in the novel:

“New York City and Chicago were in chaos. And what happened with them was happening in all the large cities. A third of the New York police were dead. Their chief was also dead, likewise the mayor. All law and order had ceased. The bodies were lying in the streets un-buried. All railroads and vessels carrying food and such things into the great city had ceased runnings and mobs of the hungry poor were pillaging the stores and warehouses. Murder and robbery and drunkenness were everywhere. Already the people had fled from the city by millions—at first the rich, in their private motor-cars and dirigibles, and then the great mass of the population, on foot, carrying the plague with them, themselves starving and pillaging the farmers and all the towns and villages on the way.” (p. 85)

Illustration from the first book edition.

Granser recounts how cities like New York and Chicago descended into chaos. Law and order vanished, bodies lay unburied in the streets, and the hungry masses looted stores and warehouses. The rich fled in private cars and dirigibles, while the rest of the population spread the plague on foot, pillaging towns and villages along the way.

“‘The fleeting systems lapse like foam,’” he mumbled what was evidently a quotation. “That’s it—foam, and fleeting. All man’s toil upon the planet was just so much foam. He domesticated the serviceable animals, destroyed the hostile ones, and cleared the land of its wild vegetation. And then he passed, and the flood of primordial life rolled back again, sweeping his handiwork away—the weeds and the forest inundated his fields, the beasts ofprey swept over his flocks, and now there are wolves on the Cliff House beach.” He was appalled by the thought. “Where four million people disported themselves, the wild wolves roam to-day, and the savage progeny of our loins, with prehistoric weapons, defend themselves against the fanged despoilers. Think of it! And all because of the Scarlet Deat—” (p. 33)

Granser reflects on the fragility of human civilization, comparing it to foam that vanishes as quickly as it forms. The domesticated animals, cleared lands, and technological marvels of humanity are swept away, replaced by weeds, forests, and wild beasts. Wolves roam freely on beaches once teeming with millions of people.

The collapse of civilization also leads to a reversal of social hierarchies. For instance, the wife of the president of the Board of Industrial Magnates becomes the wife of her former chauffeur, who now dominates her in this new, savage world.

“Before the Scarlet Death she was the wife of Van Worden. He was President of the Board of Industrial Magnates, and was one of the dozen men who ruled America. He was worth one billion, eight hundred millions of dollars—coins like you have there in your pouch, Edwin. And then came the Scarlet Death, and his wife became the wife of Bill, the first Chauffeur. He used to beat her, too. I have seen it myself.” (p. 37)

 

The Nature of the Scarlet Plague

You might wonder what kind of disease the Scarlet Plague was. The novel provides chilling details. The plague kills its victims within hours, sometimes even minutes, after the first symptoms appear. The rapid decomposition of bodies releases billions of germs, accelerating the spread of the disease.

“From the moment of the first signs of it, a man would be dead in an hour. Some lasted for several hours. Many died within ten or fifteen minutes of the appearance of the first signs.” (p. 72)

“Usually, they had convulsions at the time of the appearance of the rash. But these convulsions did not last long and were not very severe. If one lived through them, he became perfectly quiet, and only did he feel a numbness swiftly creeping up his body from the feet. The heels became numb first, then the legs, and hips, and when the numbness reached as high as his heart he died. They did not rave or sleep. Their minds always remained cool and calm up to the moment their heart numbed and stopped. And another strange thing was the rapidity of decomposition. No sooner was a person dead than the body seemed to fall to pieces, to fly apart, to melt away even as you looked at it. That was one of the reasons the plague spread so rapidly. All the billions of germs in a corpse were so immediately released. ” (p. 75)

Characters in The Scarlet Plague

The main characters are Granser and his grandchildren, who sit on a beach 60 years after the plague, listening to his stories. The grandchildren, born into a savage world, cannot comprehend the civilization Granser describes. They can only count to ten and struggle to understand concepts like germs or invisible pathogens. Their names are Edwin, Hoo-Hoo, and Hare-Lip.

Granser, whose real name is Professor James Howard Smith, was 27 years old when the plague struck. A former English professor, he is now 87 years old as he recounts the events of the past.

Conclusion: A Prophetic and Timeless Novel

In conclusion, Jack London’s The Scarlet Plague is a post-apocalyptic novel with science fiction elements that remains strikingly relevant. Its depiction of a deadly pandemic resonates deeply in the wake of Covid-19, making it a timely read despite being written over a century ago. This is a novel you’ll want to read in one sitting, a haunting reminder of the fragility of human civilization.

About the book: 

Title: The Scarlet Plague

Author: Jack London  

First Published: 1912  

Publisher: Macmillan (First Edition)  

Number of Pages: 181 (varies by edition)  

This is my in-depth review of The Scarlet Plague. If you’re looking for a thought-provoking and eerily prescient novel, this is one you won’t want to miss.

See also: 26 of the Best Post-Apocalyptic Movies of All Time

Did Jack London Predict the Coronavirus in The Scarlet Plague?

While Jack London did not specifically predict the coronavirus, his 1912 novel The Scarlet Plague eerily foreshadowed the devastating impact of a global pandemic. The book describes a deadly plague that wipes out most of humanity, leaving survivors to rebuild in a primitive world. London’s portrayal of societal collapse, the rapid spread of disease, and the fragility of civilization feels strikingly relevant in the wake of Covid-19. Though written over a century ago, The Scarlet Plague serves as a haunting reminder of how vulnerable humanity is to pandemics, making it a must-read for those reflecting on the parallels between fiction and reality.