This collection discloses the darkness of humanity which misguides one to do evil. In a Far Country is a story in which two lazybones—Carter Weatherbee and Percy Cuthfert gradually become haunted and desperate under the crushing influence exerted on them by "the darkness, the ghastly silence, and the ravages of the disease". Greed is the root of all evil and it is fully manifested by the two stealers, Jim and Matt in Just Meat, who attempt to dope one another for the purpose of monopolizing all the stolen diamonds. Why the blackmail is winged? It turns out that a pigeon is the carrier of blackmail message. Driven by the greed in the gold rush, Michael Dennin in The Unexpected shoots two companions and is hanged by the Nelsons in the name of group-will. There are inner struggles of Mrs. Nelson, who is bewildered by the complex of humanity, law and ethics.
这四篇小说故事不同，人物各异，却不约而同地刻画了人性的阴暗面。《远在他乡》中两位主角由于懒惰被大部队抛弃，本应携手同进，却相互敌视，漫漫长夜，寂寞难捱；如果彼此扶持，彼此温暖，谁说结果不会重写？《只是肉而已》、《带翅膀的勒索信》、《意外》无一例外地批判了人性中贪婪的一面；贪婪是万恶之源，贪婪的人其结局只能是自食苦果甚至死于非命。阅读《意外》，杰克•伦敦对于伊迪丝挣扎于人性、法律和道德之间的心理描写也让人称叹。