Martin Eden.

Martin Eden sails for a living. After an unexpected visit to a middle-class home, he meets Ruth Morse. Her world of books and conversation draws him in. He begins to read on his own. He studies grammar, history, and poetry late into the night. Soon he tries his hand at stories and articles. He mails them to magazines and waits for answers. Days at sea alternate with hours bent over a desk. The distance between his past and his hopes grows wider with each attempt.