Hump's Transformation in Sea Wolf

London's Sea Wolf is a story of "survival of the fittest". Hump not only survives, but rises to the top; he goes from being the weakest one on the ship to the strongest. He undergoes a physical and psychological transformation as a result of having met Larsen and Maud. As a result of certain obstacles/instances he faced with Larsen and Maud, he became a stronger person, both mentally and physically. Hump's viewpoint of the world completely changed and he is able to endure many trials of mental and physical torment and still survive and most significantly become a better person.

Through Larsen's help Hump is able to see the hard labor and pain others had to endure for his "pigishness", something he never cared to notice before . Hump is a young man, who has received all his needs and desires without having to sweat a drop, he has always depended on others financially and he was fully clothed and fed nicely by others who would work for him. This upsets Larsen; he wants to make Hump work and realize what a tough job it can be to depend only on yourself, and not on others. Larsen wants Hump to understand that sometimes simple things such as money and clothes may mean a lot to us, but are insignificant really, when it comes to survival. "You would like to go back to the land, which is a favorable place for your kind of pigishness. It is a whim of mine to keep you aboard this ship, where my pigishness flourishes. And keep you I will. I may make or break you." (London 34). Larsen wants to keep Hump on the ship to teach him a lesson and show him how different and cruel sea-life can be compared to the sheltered, comfortable home-life that he was accustomed to.

Through Larsen's difficult demands enforced on Hump, Hump changes from a physically weak person to someone who is physically strong. When Hump first arrival on the ship, he was a weak, scrawny young man. After many tedious and laborious tasks he was forced to do onboard, he became muscular and strong. Because his body grew bigger, he was able to defend himself against his enemies and became more physically fit for survival, something that was essential on the ship. He endures plenty of physical pain and learns to live unhygienically. "My hands bothered me a great deal, unused as they were to work. The nails were discolored and black, while the skin was already grained with dirt. Then blisters came in a painful and never-ending procession, and I had a great burn on my forearm, acquired by losing balance in a roll of the ship and pitching against the galley stove. Nor was my knee any better." (London 39). After all this physical pain, which is novel to him, he became stronger and was ready face any physical obstacle. He had to starve sometimes, and remain unclean, but he was content just to be alive.

Through Larsen's psychological torment, Hump grows stronger emotionally and more resistant to face most psychological obstacles on board. When Hump first arrived on the ship he could not handle the torturous fact that he was stuck in this ship from hell. He tries persuading a nearby ship to rescue him, and after this failed attempt he feels a bit helpless, but not fully. He is determined to make the best out of a bad situation. He gains mental strength as the voyage goes by, while other crew members contemplate suicide, and some try escaping, Hump decides to be strong. Hump witnesses the violence of his shipmates onboard and although at first he was left horrified, he overcame that fear and later seemed able to handle deaths of his shipmates much more easily. This makes him stronger mentally, because he learns how to cope with such situations and is stronger, as opposed to receiving that pain in the pit of his stomach which he at first received, out of his disgust at the violence he witnessed. He even attains the courage to defend himself. Mugridge was treating Hump in a nasty way and Hump decided to show him that he is not afraid of him. "He even ventured to raise his fist upon me, I was becoming animal-like myself and I snarled in his face so terribly that it must have frightened him back." (London 56). Hump's old self would have been frightened in this situation, but being that we has gained courage, he is able to defend himself and survive in this ship from hell. Hump grows mentally, because partly because he sees the wickedness of mankind, something he was blinded to in his oblivious world. His entire viewpoint on life changed, no longer does he worry about material things, the only thing of true meaning to him is survival, not the money that he lost, nor the nice meals he had back home, nor the nice clothing he would wear.

Maud plays an important role in Hump's transformation. Hump was a recluse and a bookworm and was never really interested in women or love for that matter, he saw himself as a monk. "Van-Weyden, 'The cold-blooded fish', 'The emotionless monster', 'The analytical demon' of Charley Furuseth's christening in love! (London 141). Hump, himself, finds it hard to believe that he is in love with Maud, but is truly content that he is. Ever since Maud walked into his life he is unafraid, even of death. "The death which Wolf Larsen and even Thomas Mugridge had made me fear, I no longer feared. After all I thought, it is better to love, than to be loved, it makes something in life worth while that one is not loath to die for it." (London 177). When stranded on the foreign island with Maud, he finds himself with a new sense of responsibility and courage, which he lacked before.

He realized how much he has changed thanks to Larsen and how he can finally take care of himself, and another person. "Wolf Larsen had been quite right. I had stood on my father's legs. My lawyers and agents had taken care of my money for me. I had no responsibilities at all. Then, on the Ghost I had learned to be responsible for myself. And now for the first time in my life, I found myself responsible for someone else." (London 189). Even Larsen acknowledges his transformation. "Hump," he said, "I beg pardon, Mr. Van Weyden, I congratulate you. I think you can now fire your father's legs back into the grave to him. You've discovered your own and learned to stand on them." (London 96). Hump has changed for the better, and it is because of Larsen and Maud.

London's Sea Wolf is a story of "survival of the fittest". Hump not only survives, but rises to the top; he goes from being the weakest one on the ship to the strongest. He undergoes a physical and psychological transformation as a result of having met Larsen and Maud. As a result of certain obstacles/instances he faced with Larsen and Maud, he became a stronger person, both mentally and physically. Hump's viewpoint of the world completely changed and he is able to endure many trials of mental and physical torment and still survive and most significantly become a better person.