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Illustrated portrait of John Carlson

A character in The Iron Heel

John Carlson

Carlson is a stable worker on Wickson’s land and a committed underground member.

The book

Cover of The Iron Heel by Jack London
The Iron HeelJack London, 1908

Industrial wealth consolidates into an oligarchy and crushes the movement trying to oppose it.

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Who they are in the book

Spoiler-free

Carlson is a stable worker on Wickson’s land and a committed underground member. He helps protect the refuge, misdirects tracking dogs, and maintains the hidden site. He survives for many years as its custodian and represents the large number of essential revolutionaries who never become famous leaders.

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