Martin Eden by Jack London

A working-class sailor, Martin Eden, falls in love with a wealthy young woman and becomes obsessed with rising above his station to win her approval. He devotes himself to writing, struggling through poverty and rejection until he finally achieves fame—only to find it hollow. The plot follows his psychological and artistic transformation, from idealism to disillusionment. Jack London critiques class, individualism, and the American Dream. It’s a tragic, powerful novel about ambition, love, and identity.