B. Traven
B. Traven, a prominent literary figure of the twentieth century, is shrouded in mystery, with much of his background remaining uncertain. Known for his refusal to seek publicity, Traven, who may have originally been Ret Marut, a German actor and political activist, emerged in Mexico during the 1920s. He is noted for using multiple aliases throughout his life, reportedly adopting at least twenty-seven identities, which has led some researchers to speculate that he may have been a collective of writers rather than a single individual. Traven's literary contributions consist of sixteen novels that explore themes surrounding the experiences of the common man, particularly laborers in Mexico, and often feature strong, resilient characters. His works combine elements of sociological study and travel writing, infused with sardonic wit and a passion for life amid hardship. Traven's storytelling reflects a deep alienation from societal norms and a sharp critique of bureaucracy, positioning him as a philosophical revolutionary akin to Henry David Thoreau. His novels resonate with the struggles of survival and the human condition, making him a unique voice in the literary landscape of his time.
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Subject Terms
B. Traven
Novelist and short-story writer
- Born: March 5, 1890(?)
- Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois(?)
- Died: March 26, 1969
- Place of death: Mexico City, Mexico
Biography
Almost every statement about B. Traven (TRAHV-uhn), the most famous international literary mystery of the twentieth century, must end with a question mark. In a comment on his life and work, Traven said, “Of an artist or writer, one should never ask an autobiography, because he is bound to lie. . . . If a writer, who he is and what he is, cannot be recognized by his work, either his books are worthless, or he himself is.” His readers should look for him, he said, along and between the lines of his works. {$S[A]Torsvan, Berick Traven;Traven, B.}{$S[A]Marut, Ret;Traven, B.}
From the beginning, he would not allow his life and personality to be exploited for publicity. In 1963 he refused a literary prize from Germany. His agents in Mexico City protected him from most of the numerous letters addressed to him, many from editors all over the world.
Although many scholars and writers have attempted to solve the mystery of B. Traven, few facts are known about his life; almost every bit of “information” about Traven’s background is currently challenged by at least one reputable source. Traven’s birthplace and date are not known for certain. Most scholars, however, agree that one of Traven’s earliest identities was as Ret Marut, a German actor and political activist who shunned the public spotlight. After leaving Europe, Marut appeared in Mexico around 1923 or 1924. Shortly after that, from Mexico, Traven offered his earliest books to publishers in Germany. In 1925 The Cotton-Pickers appeared in serial form in a German newspaper.
While he was living in Mexico, Traven adopted at least two other identities, T. Torsvan and Hal Croves, supposedly B. Traven’s agent. Croves worked with John Huston on the filming of Traven’s novel The Treasure of the Sierra Madre. Throughout his lifetime, Traven is reported to have used at least twenty-seven different aliases. Many researchers are convinced that Traven is more than one person, as his writing shows such linguistic diversity. Apparently, Traven wrote and spoke German, French, Spanish, and English fluently; he also spoke two of the unwritten Indian languages of southeastern Mexico.
Interest in Traven’s life and writings increased dramatically after his death. By 1994 all his novels had been translated into English. His sixteen novels are concerned with the common man, laboring on ships and in the jungles of Mexico. His characters speak the slang of the early twentieth century with an immigrant accent. There is much description of landscapes and seascapes, and he has a special interest in depicting strong, courageous women, children, and the personalities of certain animals. The hard-core center of most of his realistic fiction is work. Among his books are sociological studies, documentaries, Mexican travel books (illustrated with his own photographs), and Mexican folktales. His outlook was that of the self-educated worker—sardonic and ironic; it was expressed, even in crawling misery, with wit and ribald humor. His novels depict people with a great appetite for life struggling to survive, always within the immediate vicinity of death.
One third of Traven’s novels were written in the first person. Whether told in the third person or in the first, his novels aggressively state his radical revolutionary sentiments. He is alienated not only from Western civilization in general but also from any formal creed or ideology in particular. In The Death Ship, Gerald Gales, who reappears in several of the novels, speaks of national and international bureaucracy as the irreconcilable enemy of individual freedom. Though one may be tempted, because of Traven’s radical thinking and adventurous life, to associate him with Jack London, he is more a philosophical revolutionary in the tradition of Henry David Thoreau, whose love of privacy he shared. Much of his work resembles American proletarian fiction, although most of it was written several years before novels in that genre began to appear. Moreover, because of the attitude toward life that he and his characters demonstrate in action and speech, Traven may be regarded as one of the finest of the “tough-guy” novelists.
Bibliography
Baumann, Michael. B. Traven: An Introduction. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press, 1976. Excellent introduction to Traven.
Chankin, Donald. Anonymity and Death: The Fiction of B. Traven. University Park: Pennsylvania State University Press, 1975. Provides insightful psychoanalytical analyses of character and theme.
Mezo, Richard. A Study of B. Traven’s Fiction: The Journey to Solipaz. San Francisco: Mellen Research University Press, 1993. This literary analysis of Traven’s writing is extremely helpful.
Raskin, Jonah. My Search for B. Traven. New York: Methuen, 1980. Raskin’s recounting of his search into Traven’s mysterious past attempts to trace Traven through his manuscripts.
Schurer, Ernst, and Philip Jenkins, eds. B. Traven: Life and Work. University Park: Pennsylvania State University Press, 1987. Excellent introduction to Traven. Collects many of the best essays about his life and writing.
Stone, Judy. The Mystery of B. Traven. Los Altos, Calif.: Kaufmann, 1977. Stone’s recounting of her search into Traven’s past includes excerpts from her interviews with Traven.
Wyatt, Will. The Secret of Sierra Madre: The Man Who Was B. Traven. San Diego, Calif.: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1985. Wyatt’s presents information gathered for his BBC documentary in the book.