Flora - Jack London's Biological Mother
Flora Wellman was far from a typical 19th-century mother. She was a fiercely independent, highly eccentric, and intellectually restless woman who spent much of her life dedicated to Spiritualism—a religious movement based on the belief that the spirits of the dead can communicate with the living.
Ms. Rivers and the WikiExplorers, finding that understanding Flora’s spiritualism is key to understanding Jack London’s childhood and why he relied so heavily on the grounded, practical love of Jennie Prentiss.
1. The Nature of Her Beliefs
Flora didn’t just "dabble" in spiritualism; she made it her life's work. She frequently held séances in her home, acting as a medium to contact the "spirit world."
- The "Guide": She claimed to be guided by the spirit of an indigenous person named "Plume."
- The Trances: During Jack's childhood, he often witnessed his mother in "trance states," speaking in different voices or claiming to receive messages from the beyond.
2. Spiritualism vs. Science
Flora came from a wealthy, educated family in Ohio (the Wellmans). In the mid-1800s, many intellectuals turned to Spiritualism as a way to reconcile science with the afterlife. However, Flora’s obsession often bordered on the fanatical, which contributed to her emotional instability.
3. The Connection to Jack’s Father
Jack’s biological father, William Chaney, was also a major figure in the "fringe" movements of the time. He was an itinerant astrologer and writer.
- The Conflict: When Flora became pregnant, Chaney—who didn't believe in the "burden" of children—abandoned her.
- The Suicide Attempt: It was in this state of spiritual and emotional crisis that Flora attempted suicide. When she survived, she believed it was "destined" by the spirits, yet she remained too physically and mentally fragile to nurse Jack, leading her straight to Jennie Prentiss.
The WikiExplorers Classroom Discussion
Ms. Rivers: "Imagine growing up in a house where your mother is constantly talking to ghosts. That was Jack’s reality with Flora. Now, compare that to the AME Church with Jennie—where the music was soulful, the community was physical and present, and the 'spirit' was about survival and joy."
Leo: "So Flora lived in the 'future' or the 'past' with spirits, but Jennie lived in the now?"
Ms. Rivers: "Exactly, Leo. Flora gave Jack his imagination and his intellectual curiosity, but Jennie gave him his bones. She gave him the earth to stand on."
Maya: "Is that why Flora and Jennie lived together later? Did Jennie help keep Flora grounded while Flora kept things... interesting?"
Ms. Rivers: "In a way, yes. They balanced each other. Flora was the 'chaos' and Jennie was the 'calm.' Jack needed both to become the writer he was."
Culture Crawl Integration: The Séance Room
While the actual séances took place in various rental homes in Oakland, the AAMLO archives contain clippings from the era describing the "Spiritualist craze" in the Bay Area.
Explorer Task: Find a copy of a 19th-century San Francisco newspaper in the archives. Look for the "Astrology" or "Spiritualist" columns. This was the world Flora inhabited, and it’s the reason Jack London’s writing often oscillates between cold, hard realism and haunting, supernatural themes (like in his book The Star Rover).
The "Beyond Color" Takeaway
Flora’s spiritualism and Jennie’s Christian faith represented two different ways of looking at the world. Jack London was the bridge between them. He walked out of a séance at home and into a gospel choir with Jennie—a truly unique American upbringing.
To complete the WikiExplorers project Ms. Rivers, talked about the stories Jack London wrote that reflect his mother's spiritualism, followed by the "Final Exam" riddle for the students at Jack London Square.
The "Ghost" in the Machine: Stories Influenced by Flora
While Jack London is famous for realism, his mother’s séances left a permanent mark on his imagination. He often explored the idea of "ancestral memory" or the soul leaving the body—concepts he first heard in Flora’s trance-parlor.
The Star Rover (1915): This is his most "spiritualist" novel. It’s about a prisoner who uses self-hypnosis to escape his body and "revisit" his past lives. This is a direct echo of Flora’s belief in reincarnation and spirit travel.
The Scarlet Plague (1912): A post-apocalyptic tale that deals with the fragility of civilization. Flora’s constant focus on the "end of things" and the spirit world’s messages often touched on these haunting themes.
Before Adam (1907): A story about "racial memory," where a man dreams of his prehistoric ancestors. This mirrors the spiritualist idea that we are connected to the spirits of those who came before us.
The WikiExplorers Final Exam Riddle
The Scene: Ms. Rivers, Maya, Leo, and Sam are standing in the center of Jack London Square, surrounded by the smell of salt water and the sound of the Amtrak train.
Ms. Rivers: "Okay, Explorers. You’ve seen the archives, you’ve stood where the church was, and you know the story of the two mothers. To earn your 'Historical Navigator' badge, you must solve this final riddle. It connects Flora’s spirits, Jennie’s sacrifice, and Jack’s success."
The Riddle:
"I was bought with a loan from a hand that knew toil,
By a boy born of ghosts and of Tennessee soil.
One mother saw spirits, one mother gave bread,
One gave him a name, one kept him well-fed.
I carried him far from the mud and the strife,
What was the name of the 'ship' that gave Jack a new life?"
Sam: "Oh! I know this! It’s the Razzle Dazzle! The boat he bought with Jennie’s $300 savings."
Maya: "And it’s the perfect answer because it shows that Jennie’s real world money was more powerful than Flora’s spirit world messages when it came to Jack’s future."
Leo: "But he still wrote about the ghosts! He took Jennie’s strength and Flora’s imagination and put them both into his books."
Ms. Rivers: "Perfectly stated. You’ve realized the most important lesson of this trip: History isn't just about dates; it’s about the people who hold us up when the world falls apart. Congratulations, Explorers!"
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