Experiences and Adventures as a Hoboe

In the novel, The Road by Jack London, London writes about his experiences and adventures as one of the hoboes. London shows throughout the book about how the American system is unjust to the hoboes. One of the examples is when London is in the courthouse in Niagara Falls. Another example of London's view on the American system is when London gets to be a hall-man in the jail cell. In the chapter "Hoboes that Pass in the Night," London describes a scene in the bar where he was treated badly. When London gets to New England, he finds out that the police are after the hoboes.

In the chapter titled "Pinched," London writes about his experience through the courthouse in Niagara Falls. He describes the courthouse where there were no citizens to see the how the justice was served. He explains that there were sixteen hoboes waiting for their conviction.

English: The City of London skyline as viewed towa...

Português: Uma cela moderna em Brecksville Police...

A multi segment panoramic image of the London skyl...

The judge had come into the room, listening to the bailiff saying what each had been accused of. All of them were convicted of vagrancy. The judge had only asked one hobo as to why he committed this crime. The hobo replied by talking about his life-story, and how he was fired from his job. The judge gave him 60 days, 30 days more than any other hobo for "quitting," his job. London describes this scene with humor, but later on in the chapter, he writes:

What crime had I committed against the good citizens of Niagara Falls that all thisvengeance should be wreaked upon me? I had not even violated their "sleeping-out"ordinance. I had slept outside their jurisdiction, in the country that night. I had not evenbegged for a meal, or battered for a "light piece" on their streets. All that I had done wasto walk...